Peak Sun Hours in Gemena, Sud-Ubangi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 4 (excellent)
- Best month
- January (5.6)
- Worst month
- July (4.3)
- Climate
- Equatorial · 25.8°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.58 | 6.18 | 3.96 | 2.48 | 26.6 | 65 |
| Feb | 5.42 | 6.41 | 3.13 | 2.67 | 27.7 | 68 |
| Mar | 5.38 | 6.73 | 2.79 | 2.72 | 26.8 | 77 |
| Apr | 5.26 | 6.93 | 2.84 | 2.65 | 26.3 | 81 |
| May | 5.03 | 6.64 | 2.84 | 2.44 | 26.0 | 82 |
| Jun | 4.51 | 6.14 | 2.13 | 2.40 | 25.3 | 82 |
| Jul | 4.28 | 6.03 | 1.86 | 2.31 | 25.1 | 81 |
| Aug | 4.43 | 6.44 | 1.93 | 2.34 | 24.9 | 83 |
| Sep | 4.93 | 6.89 | 2.52 | 2.44 | 25.0 | 83 |
| Oct | 4.91 | 6.91 | 2.66 | 2.43 | 25.0 | 84 |
| Nov | 4.99 | 6.45 | 3.15 | 2.36 | 25.3 | 83 |
| Dec | 5.29 | 6.01 | 3.76 | 2.35 | 25.7 | 74 |
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 4.28 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Gemena
Gemena, 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 kWh/m²/day, a excellent solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Gemena is January (winter) at 5.58 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is July (summer) at 4.28 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.
Gemena'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 Gemena?
- Gemena averages 5 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 4.28 in July to 5.58 in January.
- How many solar panels do I need in Gemena?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Gemena's annual average of 5 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 Gemena?
- Sizing against Gemena's worst month (July, 4.28 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 Gemena's solar resource compare globally?
- Gemena sits in solar zone 4 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 5 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 Gemena?
- Near the equator, day length is nearly constant year-round and the sun stays close to overhead. In Gemena, monthly PSH ranges just from 4.28 to 5.58 kWh/m²/day — variance is driven by wet-season cloud cover, not day length.
- What tilt angle works best for panels in Gemena?
- At latitude 3°, panels in Gemena 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 Gemena?
- Equatorial wet seasons reduce output through cloud cover, not day length. Gemena's worst month (July) still delivers 4.28 kWh/m²/day — design against this value for reliable year-round off-grid use.