DTE Energy (Detroit, Michigan) has launched a free, online tool designed for all energy users, including small businesses. Called MyEnergy Analyzer, it helps customers understand their energy usage by asking questions specific to their own apartment, condo, house or small business.

MyEnergy Analyzer, at www.my.dteenergy.com, has two parts - a bill- analyzing tool and an energy-efficiency tool. It provides customized energy- efficiency recommendations and will show how much the user can expect to save if the recommendations are followed.

"We're offering this to our customers because the information goes beyond what we can offer on our paper bills," said Joyce Hayes-Giles, DTE Energy senior vice president, Customer Service. "MyEnergy Analyzer can provide immediate answers to energy-related questions and identify factors that cause energy bills to go up or down."

Customers are led through a series of questions such as the style of residence, how many levels it has, the year it was built, the number of rooms, how many people live there and the type of heating/cooling systems. It also asks about the appliances used and with the help of the mouse, can tell how much it costs to operate individual appliances annually.

Lastly, it recommends different tactics to save energy and the expected savings, and will allow the user to compare bills and see the billing history.