NETTUNO is a new research project designed to increase our understanding of wake dynamics and wake–turbine interactions in floating offshore wind farms. Floating wind is expected to become a cornerstone of Europe’s future energy system, since it gives access to the strong and steady winds found in deep waters. The technology, however, is still young: only a handful of commercial wind farms are operating today, and many engineering concepts are still being refined. One of the main problems holding back progress in floating wind is that there is very little high-quality experimental data to validate the numerical models used to predict how floating turbines behave under the combined action of wind, waves, and their own control systems.

NETTUNO tackles this challenge with a unique series of dual-turbine experiments in the POLIMI Wind Tunnel. The upstream turbine is mounted on a hexapod robotic platform that reproduces the realistic motions of a floating wind turbine, generating a wake that evolves dynamically in space and time. A second turbine is placed downstream-both in-line and offset-to mimic different wind-farm configurations. From these tests, the project collects detailed measurements of wake velocities, aerodynamic loads, and power performance. All data will be made openly available to support the broader research community.

Alongside the experiments, the project develops a suite of multi-fidelity simulations, ranging from free-vortex wake models to Actuator Line CFD and fully blade-resolved URANS. Comparing these simulations with the experimental results will help quantify their accuracy, highlight the key physical mechanisms governing wake behaviour, and point to areas where modelling approaches can be improved.

By combining advanced experimentation and state-of-the-art simulation tools, and by drawing on the strong expertise of the participating research units, NETTUNO aims to deliver a significant leap forward in the science and engineering of floating offshore wind turbines. This work will ultimately support the reliable and efficient design of the next generation of offshore wind farms, a critical component of Europe’s renewable-energy future.