Peak Sun Hours in Butembo, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 3 (good)
- Best month
- February (5.4)
- Worst month
- July (4.5)
- Climate
- Temperate · 20.3°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.29 | 6.86 | 3.12 | 2.61 | 20.6 | 74 |
| Feb | 5.37 | 7.20 | 3.05 | 2.68 | 21.2 | 72 |
| Mar | 5.17 | 7.39 | 2.66 | 2.69 | 21.0 | 77 |
| Apr | 5.16 | 7.29 | 2.88 | 2.59 | 20.5 | 80 |
| May | 5.07 | 6.88 | 3.06 | 2.46 | 20.2 | 81 |
| Jun | 4.61 | 6.35 | 2.48 | 2.36 | 19.9 | 77 |
| Jul | 4.53 | 6.28 | 2.27 | 2.34 | 19.9 | 74 |
| Aug | 4.59 | 6.73 | 2.14 | 2.39 | 20.1 | 76 |
| Sep | 5.08 | 7.26 | 2.82 | 2.43 | 20.3 | 78 |
| Oct | 5.00 | 7.36 | 2.63 | 2.51 | 20.1 | 80 |
| Nov | 4.83 | 7.09 | 2.76 | 2.41 | 19.9 | 81 |
| Dec | 4.94 | 6.81 | 2.88 | 2.49 | 20.1 | 78 |
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 Butembo
Butembo, Democratic Republic of the Congo has a temperate climate with meaningful seasonal variation in solar resource. Its annual peak sun hours average 4.97 kWh/m²/day, a good solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Butembo is February (winter) at 5.37 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is July (summer) at 4.53 kWh/m²/day. When sizing a year-round off-grid system, it's standard practice to design against the July value rather than the annual average — otherwise the battery bank runs low during the darkest weeks.
Butembo'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 Butembo?
- Butembo averages 4.97 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 4.53 in July to 5.37 in February.
- How many solar panels do I need in Butembo?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Butembo's annual average of 4.97 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 Butembo?
- Sizing against Butembo's worst month (July, 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 Butembo's solar resource compare globally?
- Butembo sits in solar zone 3 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 4.97 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 Butembo?
- Butembo's worst month (July) delivers 4.53 kWh/m²/day — about 84% of the summer peak of 5.37. Off-grid systems here typically oversize 1.5–2× or pair with a backup source.
- Do cloudy days significantly affect Butembo's solar?
- Partly. Diffuse light still produces 10–25% of clear-sky output. Butembo's 4.97 kWh/m²/day already reflects average cloudiness, so no further derating is needed for sizing.
- What panel tilt works best in Butembo?
- At Butembo's latitude (0°), a fixed tilt near 0° balances year-round yield. Winter-heavy loads favor latitude + 15°; summer-heavy, latitude − 15°.