Most REPs advertise lower rates or better service to bring in customers. Environmental Impact Energy deregulation could boost the use of renewables in several ways. First, the deregulation bill passed by the Texas legislature in 1999, Senate Bill 7, requires retail electric providers to buy an additional combined 2,000 megawatts of Texas renewable electric generation capacity by January 2009. Texas will end up producing about 10 times as much non-hydro renewable electricity as it does now. And, in the whole United States, there are only about 2,500 megawatts of non-hydro renewable energy being produced.
Deregulation also allows the public to support renewables through their electricity bills.
Consumers will be able to buy power that is much cleaner than the standard 'brown' power that they get from their current power company. Each REP must provide their customers with an Electricity Facts Label, which tells exactly how their energy is produced and how much pollution results from that method. Some are also concerned that deregulation will stand in the way of conservation. One of the challenges we face in this restructured environment is how to come up with ways to increase incentives for and provide energy efficiency programs. Senate Bill 7 does consider this issue.