Electricity.
Here in Ireland up until 2009 there was only one supplier of domestic
Electricity (ESB) . In 2009 both Bord Gais and Airtricity entered
the domestic Electricity market with lower prices.
ESB (Electric Ireland ) , Bord Gais and Airtricity are the 3 residential
electricity suppliers in Ireland. The two newer companies have undercut
the semi state provider (ESB) and are spending loads on advertising
campaigns to try and get new customers. Since mid 2011 ESB prices
are no longer set by the energy regulator and they are allowed to
set their own prices now.
See more here about Cheapest
Electricity Prices in Ireland .
Natural
Gas is becoming more widely available in smaller towns - previously
it was only available in cities like Dublin, Cork Limerick and Galway.
Bord Gais is the semi state supplier - but it now has three
competitors - Flogas , Airtricity and ESB (Electric
Ireland) can also supply gas to residential customers.
See this Comparison
of Gas Prices in Ireland.
Heating Oil (kerosene
usually) is still one of the major fuels for home heating outside
the cities. Solid fuels like turf/peat wood and coal still play an
important part too. Wood pellets are becoming more popular since the
government introduced grants to assist with installation costs.
Heating
oil (Kerosene) prices in Ireland in early 2013 is around 92c
per litre including VAT .
Most Fuel prices in Ireland rose in 2010 because of a new Carbon Tax
introduced in the December 2009 Budget
More about Carbon
Tax in Ireland here