The Department of Energy’s EERE (Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy) Program has released a new online tool called BITES. Im not kidding. BITES is the abbreviation for the “Buildings Industry Transportation Electricity Scenarios” which is currently in its beta version. The website itself actually looks pretty cool; it actually may not “bite”, at least not upon first impression. By creating certain scenarios people can measure their energy output across various categories. In addition, the BITES tool can help an individual or business get an idea of how to cut back on energy use, what can be saved by switching to alternative fuels, etc. Just about any scenario can be plugged in and the user can get a very colorful and informative output; they can even make a shiny video! I am wondering how much this “tool” cost. Of course there is a section reserved for educators and classroom exercises will be available soon. That may, in fact, totally bite. We shall see.
Ameristroika 