Peak Sun Hours in Bukama, Haut-Lomami, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 4 (excellent)
- Best month
- April (5.9)
- Worst month
- January (4.8)
- Climate
- Equatorial · 24.6°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.77 | 7.53 | 1.93 | 2.61 | 23.9 | 80 |
| Feb | 5.14 | 7.56 | 2.53 | 2.58 | 24.5 | 78 |
| Mar | 5.42 | 7.35 | 3.21 | 2.50 | 24.4 | 79 |
| Apr | 5.89 | 6.83 | 5.05 | 2.12 | 24.3 | 75 |
| May | 5.82 | 6.13 | 6.22 | 1.58 | 24.0 | 60 |
| Jun | 5.48 | 5.64 | 5.97 | 1.49 | 22.4 | 50 |
| Jul | 5.52 | 5.68 | 5.73 | 1.60 | 22.5 | 41 |
| Aug | 5.54 | 5.92 | 4.54 | 2.12 | 25.4 | 34 |
| Sep | 5.64 | 6.39 | 3.75 | 2.48 | 27.7 | 41 |
| Oct | 5.65 | 7.03 | 3.33 | 2.59 | 26.6 | 61 |
| Nov | 5.29 | 7.49 | 2.79 | 2.60 | 24.8 | 75 |
| Dec | 4.95 | 7.61 | 2.28 | 2.62 | 24.0 | 80 |
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 4.77 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Bukama
Bukama, 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 5.43 kWh/m²/day, a excellent solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Bukama is April (autumn) at 5.89 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is January (summer) at 4.77 kWh/m²/day. When sizing a year-round off-grid system, it's standard practice to design against the January value rather than the annual average — otherwise the battery bank runs low during the darkest weeks.
Bukama'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 Bukama?
- Bukama averages 5.43 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 4.77 in January to 5.89 in April.
- How many solar panels do I need in Bukama?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Bukama's annual average of 5.43 kWh/m²/day, a 5 kWh/day load needs roughly 3 × 400 W panels. Use the calculator above for your actual load.
- What size battery do I need in Bukama?
- Sizing against Bukama's worst month (January, 4.77 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 Bukama's solar resource compare globally?
- Bukama sits in solar zone 4 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 5.43 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.
- Why doesn't solar output vary much by month in Bukama?
- Near the equator, day length is nearly constant year-round and the sun stays close to overhead. In Bukama, monthly PSH ranges just from 4.77 to 5.89 kWh/m²/day — variance is driven by wet-season cloud cover, not day length.
- What tilt angle works best for panels in Bukama?
- At latitude 9°, panels in Bukama work best at a low tilt (roughly 9°) or horizontal. Tracking mounts add little benefit this close to the equator.
- How does the wet season affect solar output in Bukama?
- Equatorial wet seasons reduce output through cloud cover, not day length. Bukama's worst month (January) still delivers 4.77 kWh/m²/day — design against this value for reliable year-round off-grid use.