Does converting ten-minute wind data to hourly means preserve predicted energy?

The short answer

Converting ten-minute wind speeds to hourly means does not necessarily preserve predicted energy. Averaging speed before evaluating a nonlinear power curve can produce a different result from evaluating each supported interval and then aggregating its energy. The appropriate method depends on the model and the evidence available.

Identify what the hourly file will contain

An hourly mean speed, an hourly mean electrical output and an hourly energy total are different quantities. Give each field its unit and definition. A value labelled hourly wind should not be imported as hourly power or energy.

Keep the original higher-resolution record when possible. A coarser file may be convenient for analysis, but it should not become the only archive if later questions require within-hour variability or chronological detail.

Perform a controlled aggregation comparison

Using the same valid observations and curve, compare energy calculated before and after speed aggregation. Preserve the model's assumptions about curve applicability and averaging intervals. The difference measures the selected processing choices, not an independently validated turbine response to every short fluctuation.

Also examine load matching. Two intervals inside one hour can alternate between surplus and deficit even when their hourly averages appear balanced. Coarser matching can therefore change calculated self-consumption or storage needs.

Choose resolution for the decision

A preliminary annual estimate may tolerate a documented aggregation approximation. A narrow operating schedule, variable price or service-resilience question can require more detailed chronology. Use sensitivity and the project's decision threshold to determine what is sufficient.

The report should retain the original interval definition, aggregation rule and comparison result. This prevents an apparently harmless file-size reduction from silently changing the energy estimate or implying a level of temporal matching that the retained data cannot establish.