Europe has passed its new energy law setting legally binding rewnable energy targets for its member states, the so-called 30/20 deal aimed at obtaining a third of its electricty from domestic wind and solar.

Another stated aim of the Act, long-ago reported on when just a bill, is curbing the influence in Europe of energy exporters Algeria, Libya, Norway and Russia.

“Europe has turned away from transferring ever larger amounts of European citizens’ wealth to a handful of fuel-exporting nations, opting instead to put the money to work at home and exploit our abundant domestic renewable energy resources,” a statement from Brussels read.

The 30-percent renewable target by 2020 replaces older 20 percent and 15 percent targets to be met my individual nations.

By 2010, European wind energy generation will have doubled to 176 terrawatt hours since the last count in 2006. Wind is still seen more than doubling solar’s contribution to Europe’s goals by 2020.