Institut für Solartechnik (SPF)

Switzerland

Address: Oberseestrasse 10, 8640 Rapperswil-Jona, St. Gallen, Switzerland

Solar Thermal Technology, Photovoltaics, Energy Efficiency

SPF is a testing and research institute, part of OST – Ostschweizer Fachhochschule, specializing in solar thermal technology, photovoltaics, and energy efficiency in buildings. While primarily research and testing, it’s deeply involved in knowledge transfer and specialized training for professionals in the solar energy sector, often collaborating on advanced courses and applied theses.

Domains taught:

Automation, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Data Analytics, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Fluid Dynamics, Manufacturing, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Metrology, Physics, Process Control, Project Management, Quality, Signal Processing, Statistics, Structural Engineering, Thermodynamics

Diplomas*:

Certificate, Diploma, Master

Status:

Public

Partnerships:

Part of OST. Collaborates extensively with industry (solar technology manufacturers, installers), research partners, and universities for R&D, testing, certification, and specialized training.

Research:

Applied research and development in solar collectors, photovoltaic systems, heat pumps, energy storage, and energy-efficient building components. Provides accredited testing services.

Famous Alumnis:

N/A

International recognition**:

Number of staff***:

Current students***:

Foreign students***:

10%

Cumulative former students***:

100

Pros

Leading Swiss competence center for solar energy technology, with excellent testing facilities and strong industry links. Important for specialized professional training and applied research.

Cons

Primarily a research and testing institute. Educational offerings are specialized courses or via OST.

Best For

Professionals and students (often via OST) specializing in solar energy technologies, seeking advanced knowledge, testing capabilities, or applied research opportunities.

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Most Similar Schools Locally

The comparison with Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology is straightforward on subjects, since both focus on metrology, quality and signal processing, and it also offers doctoral programmes and covers nanotechnologies and optics as well.
A good alternative in the same country is Paul Scherrer Institut, which likewise covers metrology, quality and signal processing; it also offers doctoral programmes and covers astroscience and bioinformatics as well.
CSEM - Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique is the closest domestic counterpart for metrology, quality and signal processing; it is larger, enrolling about 50 students against roughly 20 here, and is private, whereas this school is public.
Empa - Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt is the closest domestic counterpart for metrology, quality and signal processing; it covers nanotechnologies and bioengineering as well, and is far larger, with about 200 students against roughly 20 here.
The comparison with Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften is straightforward on subjects, since both focus on metrology, quality and signal processing, and it is also a public institution and also offers bachelor's programmes.

Most Similar Schools Abroad

Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas brings a Spain setting to the same core fields, metrology, fluid dynamics and thermodynamics, and it is far larger, with about 100 students against roughly 20 here, and is also a public institution.
Seen from abroad, Istituto Tecnico Superiore per l'Energia - Sardegna (Italy) is a close relative on subject matter, since quality, fluid dynamics and civil engineering are central to both, and it is far larger, with about 100 students against roughly 20 here, and is also a public institution.
Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial offers an international parallel to this school, with metrology, signal processing and fluid dynamics as common ground; it is also a public institution and also offers doctoral programmes.
For a study option in France with a comparable spread of quality, signal processing and fluid dynamics, BRGM is the reference point: it is also a public institution and also offers doctoral programmes.
ENSOSP in France shares the quality, signal processing and fluid dynamics orientation of this school, and it covers military and logistics as well and is also a public institution.

*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.

Photovoltaic, Renewable Energy, Solar, Sustainable Practices, Testing Methods, Training

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*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.

**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:

known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications

***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.

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