The New South Wales Opposition says the Government should look at new renewables, not CSG.

The Opposition says the Baird Government is trying to re-boot the coal seam gas (CSG) industry for no reason, after it announced it would make new CSG exploration licences available mid-year.

It is something of a restart for a NSW Government that in late 2014 said it was going to “pause and reset” the system for CSG was licensing and regulation.

The Government now says it has strict new rules for companies seeking licenses, and that it will only allow exploration in strategic areas that have been deemed appropriate for CSG extraction.

Opposition energy spokesman, Labor’s Adam Searle, said the Government should put new CSG licences on hold until a set of recommendations about the industry from the chief scientist could be implemented.

“No new exploration or extraction licences should be considered by the Government unless the CSG industry has been proven to be safe,” Mr Searle said.

“The Government's priority now should be growing renewable energy sources as an overall part of our energy mix as a matter of priority.

“The 20 per cent by 2020 target is falling well short, it's only at about 11 per cent now and it's actually slipped in the last year or so.

“So that should actually be the Government's priority for action, not trying to reboot the CSG industry before it is ready to proceed.”