Last year, the Alliance to Save Energy, the Department of Energy's Office of Industrial Technologies, and a cadre of private companies and associations formed an innovative “Steam Partnership” with the goal of developing a new DOE technical assistance program on steam efficiency. In 1997, the Steam Partnership began to define the appropriate activities, tools, and services of a public-private program on steam. Modeled after the successful Motor Challenge program and the newly launched Compressed Air Challenge program, “Steam Challenge” will highlight the importance of steam system efficiency and provide information and technical assistance to industry. This article highlights the potential savings available through steam efficiency, introduces the Steam Challenge program, summarizes the program's accomplishments, and describes the program's future goals and activities.