Government, opposition reignite RET talks

The Abbott government has resumed talks with Labor over the renewable energy target three months after they broke down.

The clean energy industry has been staring down the barrel of job cuts and failed businesses since Labor quit negotiations over government plans to slash the target.

A spokesman for Environment Minister Greg Hunt confirmed the government met with Labor on Thursday to reignite RET talks.

"We welcome Labor's return to the negotiating table," the spokesman told AAP.

The RET mandates that 20 per cent, or 41,000 gigawatt hours, of all electricity comes from renewables by 2020.

The government wants to cut that target to about 27,000 gigawatts, arguing that due to changes in electricity demand and other factors the legislated figure would represent 27 per cent of energy use.

Labor, the Greens and some crossbench senators oppose the cut. Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm and other crossbenchers have their own plan that would remove the need for significant investment in renewables.

Mr Hunt was in talks with crossbench senators last year but his office refused to confirm if those discussions had resumed.

Both the government and Labor believe a bipartisan target is the most desirable outcome but neither have so far been willing to give enough ground for a compromise.

Mr Hunt says the government is at the table with no conditions attached but opposition environment spokesman Mark Butler reaffirmed Labor's target floor of mid-to-high 30,000 gigawatt hours.

"We've offered a significant adjustment to a program we think is working," Mr Butler told reporters in Sydney.

When Labor quit talks, Mr Butler said the government was too deeply dug into its cuts to reach an agreement.

He was encouraged back to the table by a clean energy sector plea.

"They wanted us to try and have one more go at trying to strike a deal with the government to restore investor confidence," Mr Butler said.