Microsoft Hohm is a free home energy management site that will soon be available throughout the United States. But that’s just the first step in a plan that includes home energy management devices like thermostats and smart plugs.

Microsoft has entered the home energy efficiency sector Wednesday with the launch of Microsoft Hohm – a free website that, like a host of others being developed by startups like Greenbox and giants like Google, allows homeowners to analyze and react to home energy usage data to save power and money.

But that’s just the start of the software giant’s plans for home energy. Eventually it envisions providing home energy management devices like smart thermostats and “smart plugs,” all leading to a business in reducing home energy use to help utilities.

That’s the vision Troy Batterberry, product unit manager for Microsoft energy management and home automation, laid out for the new site, which is expected to be available throughout the United States some time next week at www.microsoft-hohm.com.

More here.