Peak Sun Hours in Bukavu, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 3 (good)
- Best month
- March (5.1)
- Worst month
- December (4.5)
- Climate
- Temperate · 18.2°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.62 | 7.19 | 2.24 | 2.46 | 18.4 | 80 |
| Feb | 5.01 | 7.48 | 2.69 | 2.53 | 18.9 | 77 |
| Mar | 5.13 | 7.58 | 2.81 | 2.58 | 18.8 | 79 |
| Apr | 4.99 | 7.27 | 2.74 | 2.54 | 18.3 | 83 |
| May | 4.95 | 6.70 | 3.25 | 2.30 | 17.9 | 83 |
| Jun | 4.71 | 6.06 | 3.21 | 2.13 | 17.2 | 78 |
| Jul | 4.75 | 6.01 | 3.03 | 2.18 | 17.2 | 73 |
| Aug | 4.70 | 6.35 | 2.54 | 2.29 | 18.2 | 71 |
| Sep | 4.84 | 7.01 | 2.41 | 2.40 | 18.7 | 74 |
| Oct | 4.77 | 7.41 | 2.25 | 2.49 | 18.6 | 78 |
| Nov | 4.55 | 7.38 | 2.11 | 2.46 | 18.3 | 81 |
| Dec | 4.53 | 7.21 | 2.30 | 2.38 | 18.3 | 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 4.53 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Bukavu
Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo has a temperate climate with meaningful seasonal variation in solar resource. Its annual peak sun hours average 4.8 kWh/m²/day, a good solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Bukavu is March (autumn) at 5.13 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is December (summer) at 4.53 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.
Bukavu'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 Bukavu?
- Bukavu averages 4.8 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 4.53 in December to 5.13 in March.
- How many solar panels do I need in Bukavu?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Bukavu's annual average of 4.8 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 Bukavu?
- Sizing against Bukavu's worst month (December, 4.53 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 Bukavu's solar resource compare globally?
- Bukavu sits in solar zone 3 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 4.8 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.
- How much does winter reduce solar output in Bukavu?
- Bukavu's worst month (December) delivers 4.53 kWh/m²/day — about 88% of the summer peak of 5.13. Off-grid systems here typically oversize 1.5–2× or pair with a backup source.
- Do cloudy days significantly affect Bukavu's solar?
- Partly. Diffuse light still produces 10–25% of clear-sky output. Bukavu's 4.8 kWh/m²/day already reflects average cloudiness, so no further derating is needed for sizing.
- What panel tilt works best in Bukavu?
- At Bukavu's latitude (2°), a fixed tilt near 2° balances year-round yield. Winter-heavy loads favor latitude + 15°; summer-heavy, latitude − 15°.