# SuperPower

Canonical page: https://technooptimist.io/companies/superpower
US maker of second-generation high-temperature superconducting (REBCO) tape in Glenville, New York, owned by Japan's Furukawa Electric since 2012. Its tape goes into record research magnets and fusion prototypes.

## In brief

- Formed in 2000 from Intermagnetics General's superconductor group; Furukawa Electric bought it from Philips in 2012.
- Supplying several hundred km of tape for Tokamak Energy's ST80-HTS fusion prototype since 2023.
- In June 2026 Furukawa and Tokamak Energy began studying HTS tape manufacturing in the UK.

## Facts

- Founded: 2000
- Headquarters: US
- Status: subsidiary (Furukawa Electric)
- Website: https://www.superpower-inc.com
- Frontiers: [Materials](https://technooptimist.io/materials.md) (Superconducting wire), [Energy](https://technooptimist.io/energy.md)

## Programs

- [2G HTS (REBCO) tape](https://technooptimist.io/materials/rebco-tape.md) (Materials): Deploy; next: UK HTS tape manufacturing study with Tokamak Energy (Jun 2026). Producing REBCO tape in Glenville, NY for fusion and research magnets; UK production study since June 2026.

## Technical approach

- **Deposition: MOCVD-grown REBCO on IBAD template**: Buffer layers are sputtered on Hastelloy, one textured by ion-beam-assisted deposition; the superconductor is grown by chemical vapour deposition.
- **In-field current: Zirconium nanorods**: A zirconium additive forms nanorods in the film that pin magnetic vortices, keeping current high inside strong magnetic fields.

## Open problems

- **Tape volume for fusion** (open): A single prototype fusion plant such as the UK's STEP is expected to need about 30,000 km of HTS tape, far beyond today's output from any one maker.

## Latest updates

- **15 Jun 2026**: Furukawa Electric and Tokamak Energy start study on making HTS tape in the UK. Furukawa Electric, SuperPower's parent, and Tokamak Energy signed an agreement at 10 Downing Street to begin research, prototyping and a feasibility assessment of HTS tape manufacturing in the UK. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/furukawa-electric-and-tokamak-energy-start-study-on-making-hts-tape-in-11ae484d.md) · [original source](https://tokamakenergy.com/2026/06/15/furukawa-electric-and-tokamak-energy-advance-collaboration-on-uk-hts-tape-capability/))
- **11 Jan 2023**: Tokamak Energy signs Furukawa Electric and SuperPower to supply several hundred km of HTS tape for ST80-HTS. Tokamak Energy agreed with Furukawa Electric and its US subsidiary SuperPower to supply high-temperature superconducting tape for its ST80-HTS advanced prototype fusion device. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/tokamak-energy-signs-furukawa-electric-and-superpower-to-supply-several-3013d1d0.md) · [original source](https://www.powermag.com/press-releases/tokamak-energy-and-furukawa-electric-group-strengthen-relationship-to-progress-commercial-fusion-energy))

## Partners, customers and investors

- Furukawa Electric (acquirer): Bought SuperPower from the Philips group in February 2012.
- Tokamak Energy (customer): Tape for the ST80-HTS prototype (2023); UK tape-manufacturing study (June 2026).
- National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (customer): Built record-field research magnets, above 40 T, with SuperPower tape.

---

The Techno Optimist tracks every frontier of technology, program by program: https://technooptimist.io/ (a Markdown version of any page: add .md to its URL; site map for agents: https://technooptimist.io/llms.txt).
Data API (JSON, realtime stream): https://technooptimist.io/developers. People read 5 pages free, then Reader $10/month; these Markdown pages are open to agents.