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https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-2026-51
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-2026-51
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
08 Apr 2026
| 08 Apr 2026
Status: this preprint is currently under review for the journal WES.
Wind Tunnel Testing for Wind Energy: A State-of-the-Art Review
Abstract. Wind tunnel testing is essential for the advancement of wind energy, providing the "ground truth" necessary to validate numerical and data-driven models. However, the increasing size of modern turbines introduces significant challenges, including aerodynamic scaling, tunnel blockage, and the need to simulate complex atmospheric boundary layers. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art in wind energy experimental aerodynamics, covering inflow conditions, airfoil performance, aeroacoustics, and aeroelasticity. It further examines the integration of wind tunnel data with CFD modeling, field measurements, and data science. By synthesizing current progress and identifying inherent limitations, this review provides a critical outlook on future directions for the experimental wind engineering community.
How to cite. Manolesos, M., Aubrun, S., Bak, C., Bettini, P., Campagnolo, F., Croce, A., Dar, A. S., Hölling, M., Ivanell, S., Kellaris, K., Mendez, M. A., Montinari, P., Mühle, F., Papadakis, G., Porté-Agel, F., Ragni, D., Randino, S., Sciacchitano, A., Schena, L., Schepers, G., Segalini, A., Yu, W., and Bottasso, C. L.: Wind Tunnel Testing for Wind Energy: A State-of-the-Art Review, Wind Energ. Sci. Discuss. [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-2026-51, in review, 2026.
Competing interests: At least one of the (co-)authors is a member of the editorial board of Wind Energy Science.
Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this paper. While Copernicus Publications makes every effort to include appropriate place names, the final responsibility lies with the authors. Views expressed in the text are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.Download & links
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Marinos Manolesos
School of Mechanical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Ir. Politechniou 9, Zografou 15772, Athens, Greece
Sandrine Aubrun
Nantes Université, École Centrale Nantes, CNRS, LHEEA, UMR 6598, 44000 Nantes, France
Christian Bak
DTU Wind and Energy Systems, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
Paolo Bettini
Politecnico di Milano, Department of Aerospace Science and Technology, Via G. La Masa 34, 20156, Milan, Italy
Filippo Campagnolo
Wind Energy Institute, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching b. München, Germany
Alessandro Croce
Politecnico di Milano, Department of Aerospace Science and Technology, Via G. La Masa 34, 20156, Milan, Italy
Arslan Salim Dar
Department of Marine Technology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Professor JHL Vogts veg 1a, 7052 Trondheim, Norway
Michael Hölling
Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, School of Mathematics and Science, Institute of Physics, Germany
ForWind - Center for Wind Energy Research, Küpkersweg 70, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Stefan Ivanell
Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, Visby 62167, Sweden
Konstantinos Kellaris
School of Mechanical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Ir. Politechniou 9, Zografou 15772, Athens, Greece
Miguel Alfonso Mendez
von Karman Institute, Rhode-St-Genése, 1640, Belgium
Aero-Thermo-Mechanics Laboratory, Ecole Polytechnique de Bruxelles, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Av. Franklin Roosevelt 50, Brussels, 1050, Belgium
Aerospace Engineering Research Group, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Av. de la Universidad 30, 28911 Leganés, Spain
Pierluigi Montinari
Politecnico di Milano, Department of Aerospace Science and Technology, Via G. La Masa 34, 20156, Milan, Italy
Franz Mühle
Wind Energy Institute, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching b. München, Germany
George Papadakis
School of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Ir. Politechniou 9, Zografou 15710, Athens, Greece
Fernardo Porté-Agel
Wind Engineering and Renewable Energy Laboratory (WIRE), Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, 1015-Lausanne, Switzerland
Daniele Ragni
Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Kluyverweg 1, Delft, 2629 HS, the Netherlands
Sebastiano Randino
von Karman Institute, Rhode-St-Genése, 1640, Belgium
SAAS, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Av. Franklin Roosevelt 50, 1150, Brussels, Belgium
Andrea Sciacchitano
Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Kluyverweg 1, Delft, 2629 HS, the Netherlands
Lorenzo Schena
von Karman Institute, Rhode-St-Genése, 1640, Belgium
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pleinlaan 2, Brussels, 1050, Belgium
Gerard Schepers
Entrance - Centre of Expertise Energy, Hanze UAS, 9747AS Groningen, the Netherlands
TNO Energy and Materials Transition, 1755LE Petten, the Netherlands
Antonio Segalini
Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, 75236 Uppsala, Sweden
Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Kluyverweg 1, Delft, 2629 HS, the Netherlands
Carlo Luigi Bottasso
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Wind Energy Institute, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching b. München, Germany
Short summary
As wind turbines grow to unprecedented sizes, ensuring their reliability requires advanced testing. We reviewed the current state of wind tunnel experiments, examining how scaled physical models are evaluated for wind flow, flexibility, and noise. We conclude that while laboratory testing remains essential, it is most powerful when integrated with computer simulations and real-world data. This combined approach will ultimately drive the design of more efficient and sustainable wind energy.
As wind turbines grow to unprecedented sizes, ensuring their reliability requires advanced...
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