Scaled Turbine Test Puts Floating Wind to the Proof

EU-backed project tests shared mooring and scaled turbine to cut future costs

4 Nov 2025

Europe is moving floating offshore wind closer to commercial use as a Horizon Europe project known as FLOATFARM develops new design methods and prepares early field tests. The initiative brings together industrial and academic partners to address the engineering barriers that have kept floating wind at limited scale.

Floating wind is seen as essential for accessing deeper waters, but high costs and technical complexity continue to slow deployment. FLOATFARM aims to provide practical design guidance rather than a full solution, focusing on tools and demonstrations that could improve reliability and reduce costs later this decade.

A core element of the work is a shared mooring system that connects several floating turbines to fewer anchors. Project engineers say this approach could reduce installation expenses and streamline layout planning for future arrays. Mooring systems remain one of the most expensive parts of floating wind projects, and the group views this research as a way to address a longstanding constraint.

The consortium also plans to test a 1:7 scale model of a 15MW floating turbine as part of its validation programme. The prototype will allow partners to study platform dynamics, environmental impacts, and the accuracy of design models used for commercial sites.

The efforts come as European governments refine long-term offshore strategies. While commercial floating wind has yet to expand meaningfully, coordinated research programmes such as FLOATFARM signal a shift toward structured, pre-commercial development supported by shared data and improved modelling.

Risks remain considerable. Shared mooring systems introduce new engineering uncertainties, and floating platforms must withstand harsh marine conditions over long periods. The project’s collaborative model is intended to reduce these risks by pooling expertise and testing methods before larger demonstration projects proceed.

As Europe prepares for wider floating wind deployment, FLOATFARM is helping define the technical groundwork. Its design studies, scale testing, and cross-sector cooperation offer an early view of how the industry may mature once commercial build-out becomes feasible.