Voters support electricity carbon price

Half of Australians would support a carbon emissions trading scheme in the electricity sector as a way to encourage more investment in renewable energy.

Support is strongest among Greens and Labor voters, the Essential poll published on Tuesday finds, but there is also 46 per cent of coalition supporters in favour.

Almost one in three coalition voters opposed such a scheme, while a similar amount didn't know.

The government ruled out imposing an emissions intensity scheme on the electricity sector a day after announcing its review of climate policies may look at the possibility of one.

Since then, a growing list of business organisations, energy companies, state governments, and science organisations have called for a scheme.

It would set a benchmark amount for how much pollution can be emitted per unit of electricity, and let generators that exceed that amount buy credits from cleaner energy like renewables.

The Essential poll found that overall, 51 per cent of people surveyed were in support and 20 per cent opposed, with 29 per cent saying they didn't know.