Gas will be a critical part of power generation well into the second half of the 2030s and it will also underpin efforts by export partners like Japan to decarbonise, according to Labor projections that support industry calls for ongoing exploration and extraction.

The explosive forecast, which will anger environmental campaigners and many teal independents who want an accelerated exit from gas-powered energy generation, suggests gas and a diminishing amount of coal will end up producing about the same amount of power as large-scale solar by 2035.