The FLOATFARM project’s latest experimental test campaign is nearing completion after several intensive weeks of testing at Centrale Nantes’ large ocean basins.
Over the past weeks, a SPAR floating wind turbine scale model has been anchored and operated in the facility, supporting a series of hybrid experimental trials. The model was equipped with the latest release of SOFTWIND, a software-in-the-loop wind simulator integrated directly into the test setup. This configuration enables high-fidelity hybrid experiments, combining physical basin testing with advanced numerical wind-field simulation to achieve a strong level of realism and measurement quality.
What’s next
- Data analysis begins in 2026
- The project team will transition from testing operations to detailed post-processing and interpretation of results.
- Spring 2026 campaign already scheduled
- A follow-up campaign is planned for Spring 2026, featuring two SPAR models, both equipped with SOFTWIND. This will mark a first-of-its-kind configuration for the project, opening the door to new comparative and interaction-focused experimental scenarios.
This milestone represents a significant step forward in FLOATFARM’s effort to strengthen experimental methodologies for floating wind, leveraging hybrid testing to better capture real-world behavior in controlled conditions.
Learn more with this video available on the FLOATFARM YouTube Channel
