The world’s largest software-maker, Microsoft Corp., has launched Hohm, an online web-based service that lets consumers monitor their home energy consumption and rates in real-time and get related energy information.

Users who do not power their homes with a supported company can still use the service to get information about estimated total monthly energy costs for their homes, a breakdown of cost allocation, followed by a recommendations report, by simply answering a series of questions.

For example, a recommendation Hohm provided was “Have a professional seal your home’s air leaks and reduce leakage by 40 percent”, the app estimated the total cost of sealing the air leaks to be $276-$832, with annual savings of $260.

The real time monitoring service is currently available with a small handful of energy partners who use smart meters, including Sacramento’s Municipal Utility District, City Light Seattle, Puget Sound Energy, and Xcel Energy.

Hohm can provide more accurate information via data it gathers from the real-time feed over time.

Microsoft is expected to add many more partners in the coming months.

Hohm is currently in private beta, so you’ll have to give them your email address and wait until you receive a beta sign up email to use the service.

Google is also developing a competing product, Google PowerMeter, that essentially shows “consumers their personal electricity consumption right on a home computer.”

Google’s PowerMeter also relies on smart meters from partners. Google’s current partners include San Diego Gas & Electrc (California), TXU Energy (texas), Toronto Hydro (Canada), among other partners.

The aim of these services is to simply aggregate real-time information, and help consumers lower their monthly bills by better understanding where and how their homes are consuming the most energy.