Peak Sun Hours in Bandundu Province, Kwilu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 3 (good)
- Best month
- March (5.1)
- Worst month
- December (4.5)
- Climate
- Equatorial · 26.7°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.85 | 6.67 | 2.41 | 2.50 | 26.5 | 77 |
| Feb | 4.85 | 6.83 | 2.33 | 2.51 | 26.9 | 77 |
| Mar | 5.10 | 6.94 | 2.63 | 2.55 | 26.8 | 78 |
| Apr | 5.02 | 6.71 | 2.88 | 2.44 | 26.6 | 80 |
| May | 4.68 | 5.90 | 2.70 | 2.31 | 26.5 | 79 |
| Jun | 4.62 | 5.20 | 2.74 | 2.33 | 26.5 | 70 |
| Jul | 4.55 | 5.00 | 2.47 | 2.39 | 27.5 | 61 |
| Aug | 4.53 | 5.27 | 2.19 | 2.41 | 28.0 | 62 |
| Sep | 4.76 | 6.11 | 2.35 | 2.41 | 27.3 | 70 |
| Oct | 4.86 | 6.86 | 2.53 | 2.40 | 26.4 | 78 |
| Nov | 4.74 | 6.94 | 2.46 | 2.39 | 25.7 | 82 |
| Dec | 4.50 | 6.64 | 2.19 | 2.37 | 25.8 | 81 |
GHI, Clear-sky, DNI, DHI in kWh/m²/day. Data: NASA POWER climatology (long-term monthly averages).
Off-grid calculator
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- 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 4.50 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Bandundu Province
Bandundu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo sits near the equator, where day length is stable year-round and the sun passes close to overhead. Its annual peak sun hours average 4.76 kWh/m²/day, a good solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Bandundu Province is March (autumn) at 5.1 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is December (summer) at 4.5 kWh/m²/day. When sizing a year-round off-grid system, it's standard practice to design against the December value rather than the annual average — otherwise the battery bank runs low during the darkest weeks.
Bandundu Province'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 Bandundu Province?
- Bandundu Province averages 4.76 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 4.5 in December to 5.1 in March.
- How many solar panels do I need in Bandundu Province?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Bandundu Province's annual average of 4.76 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 Bandundu Province?
- Sizing against Bandundu Province's worst month (December, 4.5 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 Bandundu Province's solar resource compare globally?
- Bandundu Province sits in solar zone 3 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 4.76 kWh/m²/day — good by global standards. For reference, top-tier desert sites average ~6.5 and high-latitude cities around 2.5 kWh/m²/day.
- Why doesn't solar output vary much by month in Bandundu Province?
- Near the equator, day length is nearly constant year-round and the sun stays close to overhead. In Bandundu Province, monthly PSH ranges just from 4.5 to 5.1 kWh/m²/day — variance is driven by wet-season cloud cover, not day length.
- What tilt angle works best for panels in Bandundu Province?
- At latitude 3°, panels in Bandundu Province work best at a low tilt (roughly 3°) or horizontal. Tracking mounts add little benefit this close to the equator.
- How does the wet season affect solar output in Bandundu Province?
- Equatorial wet seasons reduce output through cloud cover, not day length. Bandundu Province's worst month (December) still delivers 4.5 kWh/m²/day — design against this value for reliable year-round off-grid use.