The negotiations on the proposed Energy Efficiency Directive are coming down to the final steps, at least the final steps under the Danish Presidency which ends this month. The last trialogue meeting is scheduled for June 13th. In particular, there are still disputes on energy efficiency obligations for energy companies, and for retrofit strategies for public buildings. More importantly, there is a dispute on priority and vision. No one is against promoting energy efficiency, but member states seem to be in a state of paralysis. Parliament and the wide range of stakeholders have made excellent arguments for greater ambition. But those arguments have done little to budge member states, even many of those that normally are strong supporters of energy efficiency.
Is it the current financial crisis? Is it subsidiarity? Is it a belief that the energy savings targets are less important because the EU is on track to meet 2020 climate change targets? Is it a lack of leadership in either camp? Is it all of the above or something totally different? Something has gone awry. Meanwhile, the one Presidency that was expected to deliver, the Danish Presidency, is having to tough it out. Even its stellar record on energy efficiency throughout the years has done little to lift the mood and change the tone. Latest word is that the Council has moved its position somewhat on several points, but will it be enough?
Can someone pull the rabbit out of the hat?
Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 
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RENEWABLE AND EFFICIENT ENERGY SYSTEMS
HEAT PUMPS – HEATING AND COOLING BUILDINGS
http://www.geotermiaitalia.it/catalogo/prodotti.html
Geothermal heat pumps;
Air-water heat pumps;
Exhaust air heat pumps.
They are energy efficient complete systems for heating and cooling which is both economic and environmentally sustainable .
This technology is available both for residential single / multi-family and industrial and commercial buildings.
The geothermal heat pump uses as a heat source the subsoil or ground water and allows a cost savings for the heating up to 80%.
You do not need to reside in a thermal area to enjoy the benefits of underground heat: from 10 m depth the soil temperature remains almost constant throughout the year, and around 100 meters the temperatures are around the 10 – 12 °C constituting a heat source for the optimum operation of the heat pump.
The air-water heat pump uses as a source of heat the outside air and allows a cost savings for the heating up to 50-60%.
It can produce hot water for heating or sanitary uses up to temperatures of 65 °C with only the compressor and work up to temperatures of -25 °C!
The exhaust air heat pump uses as a heat source stale air present in the house, allows a cost savings for the heating up to 50%.