Microsoft Corp. entered the home energy efficiency sector Wednesday, launching a free website, Microsoft Hohm, as a place where consumers can “save energy and money.”

The software giant has signed on with four utilities that will provide customer energy data — Puget Sound Energy and Seattle City Light, two principal power utilities in the state of Washington, and Minnesota-based Xcel Energy and the public-sector Sacramento Municipal Utility District in California.

Microsoft said its Hohm website is supposed to help consumers lower energy bills and reduce their impact on the environment. The software giant said the site is in its beta version at www.microsoft-hohm.com.

Hohm is among a number of websites seeking to capitalize on climate change and economic stimulus initiatives.

Microsoft Chief Research Officer Craig Mundie said the site will “help people track, understand and manage their personal energy use.”

Microsoft Hohm uses the Windows Azure cloud operating system and “leverages Bing search [the company’s competitor to Google] as well as the Microsoft advertising platform,” the company said.

Consumers will get various recommendations for steps they can take to save energy. Cost savings will vary “based on the information shared and the characteristics of the consumers’ households,” Microsoft said. “If consumers don’t provide data, Microsoft will base its recommendations on local and national averages.”

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