Shadow energy spokesman Mark Butler has declared there is “nothing to accept” in the Turnbull government’s new energy policy as its chief salesman Josh Frydenberg implored the opposition to “come on board”.

In a sign Labor may be hardening its opposition to the National Energy Guarantee, Mr Butler suggested he could not accept the policy even after seeing more detailed modelling, describing it as a “national energy gimmick” and an “all-out assault” on renewables.

When the government announced the new policy last week, ditching the Clean Energy Target and described the NEG as a “game-changer”, Labor combined its criticisms with a pointed refusal to rule out supporting it, saying it wanted to see more detail on the policy.

Tony Abbott led the push against a clean energy target. Photo: AAP

But asked on Sunday if Labor could accept the policy after it saw such analysis, Mr Butler said: “There is nothing to accept in this thought bubble.”

Earlier on Sunday, Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg said the government planned to undertake detailed modelling, which it would share with Labor, as well as state governments, who will be required to sign off on the plan.

Mr Frydenberg said he could understand why state governments – including Labor premiers who have already slammed the plan – would want to wait to see detailed modelling before offering their support.

“We’ve got a meeting of the COAG Energy Council in November where this will be discussed more fully,” he told the ABC.

“But the thing I want to put out is it’s in the country’s interests and it’s in the states’ interest to get on board with this expert recommendation.”

The government revealed its new energy plan on Tuesday. Photo: AAP

Mr Frydenberg said Labor had been “caught flat-footed” by the new plan and suggested it was time the opposition “sued for peace”.

“I’m hopeful they will come on board because the clean energy target, which was Dr Finkel’s recommendation, does not reduce power prices as much as this will,” he said.

“And I would have to point out … it’s had nearly unanimous support from industry, from Australia’s biggest employers, like BHP and BlueScope to the Grattan Institute and the chief scientist.”

‘Not about Abbott’

State governments will have to sign up to the ‘Reliability Guarantee’ element of the policy, recommended by a board of energy market regulators, but the policy’s emissions targets must be legislated through Parliament, meaning the government is keen to win Labor’s support.

Asked if the policy, which leaves the door open to more coal-fired power stations, was also about keeping Tony Abbott on board, Mr Frydenberg said it had “nothing to do with Tony Abbott”. 

“Tony Abbott isn’t the prime minister, nor the government,” he added. 

A political fight over energy policy led to a now infamous bust up between Jay Weatherill and Josh Frydenberg. Photo: AAP

Last week, Labor hammered the government over the lack of modelling, saying that called into question the claimed household savings of $110-$115 a year from 2020.

That figure came from an expert panel of regulators, the Energy Security Board, which later revealed initial projections showed the savings could be as little as $25 a year.

Mr Butler said on Sunday the move was an “an utter ambush on COAG”, saying it was “extraordinary” the states and territories “would be expected to implement this plan” with sufficient information.

“Premiers across the political spectrum, including the Liberal Premier in Tasmania, have pointed to the fact that this is a plan without any detail,” Mr Butler said.

The strongest criticism came from Labor premiers Daniel Andrews of Victoria and South Australia’s Jay Weatherill, with Mr Weatherill accusing the government of being beholden to vested interests.