Peak Sun Hours in Contagem, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Solar zone
- Zone 4 (excellent)
- Best month
- February (6.1)
- Worst month
- June (4.3)
- Climate
- Temperate · 20.3°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6.04 | 8.28 | 3.96 | 2.62 | 21.6 | 83 |
| Feb | 6.12 | 7.93 | 4.52 | 2.42 | 21.4 | 83 |
| Mar | 5.53 | 7.15 | 4.19 | 2.21 | 21.1 | 84 |
| Apr | 5.10 | 6.16 | 4.93 | 1.76 | 20.1 | 81 |
| May | 4.48 | 5.24 | 5.12 | 1.43 | 18.4 | 75 |
| Jun | 4.25 | 4.78 | 5.48 | 1.21 | 17.6 | 72 |
| Jul | 4.54 | 5.05 | 5.94 | 1.16 | 17.6 | 66 |
| Aug | 5.27 | 5.84 | 6.19 | 1.33 | 18.9 | 61 |
| Sep | 5.77 | 6.64 | 5.50 | 1.72 | 21.0 | 59 |
| Oct | 5.87 | 7.55 | 4.45 | 2.24 | 22.3 | 64 |
| Nov | 5.57 | 8.12 | 3.42 | 2.56 | 21.5 | 76 |
| Dec | 5.73 | 8.28 | 3.50 | 2.61 | 21.5 | 83 |
GHI, Clear-sky, DNI, DHI in kWh/m²/day. Data: NASA POWER climatology (long-term monthly averages).
Off-grid calculator
Add appliances
- Add an appliance to size a system.
Sizing
- Daily load
- 0.00 kWh
- Panel wattage
- 0 W
- Panel count (400W modules)
- 0
- Battery bank
- 0.0 kWh
Sizing against worst-month PSH of 4.25 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Contagem
Contagem, Brazil has a temperate climate with meaningful seasonal variation in solar resource. Its annual peak sun hours average 5.36 kWh/m²/day, a excellent solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Contagem is February (summer) at 6.12 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is June (winter) at 4.25 kWh/m²/day. When sizing a year-round off-grid system, it's standard practice to design against the June value rather than the annual average — otherwise the battery bank runs low during the darkest weeks.
Contagem's solar conditions are well within the range where off-grid PV is a straightforward engineering exercise with standard-sized arrays and lithium batteries.
FAQ
- What are the peak sun hours in Contagem?
- Contagem averages 5.36 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 4.25 in June to 6.12 in February.
- How many solar panels do I need in Contagem?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Contagem's annual average of 5.36 kWh/m²/day, a 5 kWh/day load needs roughly 4 × 400 W panels. Use the calculator above for your actual load.
- What size battery do I need in Contagem?
- Sizing against Contagem's worst month (June, 4.25 kWh/m²/day) with 2 days of autonomy at 80% depth of discharge, a 5 kWh/day load needs about a 12.5 kWh battery bank.
- How does Contagem's solar resource compare globally?
- Contagem sits in solar zone 4 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 5.36 kWh/m²/day — excellent by global standards. For reference, top-tier desert sites average ~6.5 and high-latitude cities around 2.5 kWh/m²/day.
- How much does winter reduce solar output in Contagem?
- Contagem's worst month (June) delivers 4.25 kWh/m²/day — about 69% of the summer peak of 6.12. Off-grid systems here typically oversize 1.5–2× or pair with a backup source.
- Do cloudy days significantly affect Contagem's solar?
- Partly. Diffuse light still produces 10–25% of clear-sky output. Contagem's 5.36 kWh/m²/day already reflects average cloudiness, so no further derating is needed for sizing.
- What panel tilt works best in Contagem?
- At Contagem's latitude (20°), a fixed tilt near 20° balances year-round yield. Winter-heavy loads favor latitude + 15°; summer-heavy, latitude − 15°.