The Abbott Government is under growing pressure within its own ranks to make a deal on Australia's renewable energy target (RET).

The Coalition wants to scale back the target for renewable energy sources, like wind and solar, from 41,000 gigawatt hours to 32,000 GWh by 2020.

The Clean Energy Council yesterday offered a compromise of 33,500 GWh, which is below Labor's target of mid to high 30,000s.

It prompted Queensland Liberal National Party backbencher Ken O'Dowd to break ranks and urge his colleagues to consider the Clean Energy Council's offer.

"I hope it's a negotiating point. Even if they can split the difference that would be somewhere to getting this whole thing resolved," Mr O'Dowd said.

If a deal is not done by next week, Mr O'Dowd said emissions intensive operations like the Boyne Aluminium Smelter in his central Queensland electorate could face hefty fines.

"The workers in my electorate understand it, because they have been told several times by the company Boyne Smelter what the consequences could be," he said.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Listen Duration: 3 minutes 13 seconds 3 m 13 s Listen to Stephanie Smail's report here Download 5.9 MB

"And that's why I'm batting for the workers and the jobs. I'm very sorry for the situation they're in and I'm sorry we can't give them some certainty."

Mr O'Dowd said he would make his concerns clear to Environment Minister Greg Hunt and Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane today.

MP urges Labor to put fair offer on table

South Australian Federal Liberal MP Rowan Ramsey said the renewable energy sector and emissions-intensive industries were important in his electorate.

But he did not encourage Mr Hunt or Mr Macfarlane to back down.

"This isn't an Asian market bartering system where you know, you make an offer, I make an offer, whatever," he said.

"These figures are actually based on good facts.

"So while I welcome the move by the Clean Energy Council that they've engaged, the minister has already moved a long way."

Mr Ramsay urged the Labor Party to put a fair offer on the table.

"I need a resolution just like Ken does. But it's not a resolution at any price and we have arrived at this position in a considered way," he said.

"The minister has given a considerable amount of ground and I think the offer when you stack it up, virtually leaves the overall renewable energy target at what it was set under the previous government."

Both the Government and the Opposition agreed to exempt the energy-intensive aluminium industry from the scheme.

But Mr O'Dowd said the concession would not go ahead unless a deal was done.

"I think what our industry needs is certainty," he said.

"We need to know what it is, what it's going to be. It's too much uncertainty, they need to know now.

"Not in a month's time, they need to know this week."