Grandly, the policy has been dubbed the first chance to end the "climate wars" over the past decade and get "real progress", by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from our biggest polluting sector, while improving reliability of the grid so it can take more renewable energy, and, yes, lower power prices for all. A big ask. What to expect from Friday's meeting? Few additional details and an "endorsement of the progress so far" are the most likely outcomes. Josh Frydenberg, the Minister for Environment and Energy, may want an in-principle agreement from the gathering in Melbourne, but he's unlikely to get it. Expect the collective boot to kick the can to the next Council of Australian Governments meeting of energy ministers, due in Sydney in August. What are the key sticking points?

Business and energy groups have broadly endorsed the NEG as they know it because it appears to offer the best - and many would say only - chance in years of a bipartisan agreement over both climate change and the energy sector. They believe any indication of future stability may be better than none. Notably, the states or territories most reluctant to commit are all Labor-led, except for the ACT, which is a Labor-Greens combo. Formerly the loudest voice against the NEG, South Australia has gone quiet since its leadership shifted from Labor to Liberal. Queensland, Victoria and the ACT all have renewable energy targets beyond 2020, which the Turnbull government would rather rein in. Environmental groups are generally opposed to the NEG because of what they say are weak ambitions to cut emissions from the main electricity market by only 26 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030. While roughly in line with Australia's Paris climate accord commitments (26-28 per cent cuts), the groups think the electricity sector can do far more - and will later be forced to anyway. Electricity generators have encouraged the government to give them a greater share of the emissions reduction target. Credit:Chris Ratcliffe The major generators agree the NEG is not ambitious enough, broadly encouraging the government to give them a greater share of the national emissions reduction burden.