Influence of platform motion on the energy production of a floating wind farm

This study investigates the dynamics of energy production in floating wind farms. Unlike their bottom-fixed counterparts, floating wind turbines experience large-amplitude, low-frequency movements affecting the rotor response and the wake development. We employed the multi-physics simulator FAST.Farm to study a seven-turbine wind farm, comparing conventional monopile foundations with semi-submersibles. Results show that, under undisturbed wind conditions, floating turbines exhibit a lower power-conversion efficiency due to platform tilt and the use of a thrust clipping controller. Conversely, waked turbines in a floating configuration have a higher power output than with a bottom-fixed foundation. This is attributed to the higher wind speed in their wake which is due to the lower thrust set point of the floating controller, the vertical deflection of the wake and the dynamic conditions at rotor created by motion.