Peak Sun Hours in Idiofa, Kwilu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 3 (good)
- Best month
- March (5.1)
- Worst month
- August (4.3)
- Climate
- Equatorial · 25.2°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.79 | 6.86 | 2.31 | 2.52 | 24.7 | 79 |
| Feb | 4.96 | 7.04 | 2.37 | 2.58 | 25.3 | 78 |
| Mar | 5.11 | 7.10 | 2.73 | 2.53 | 25.1 | 81 |
| Apr | 4.95 | 6.79 | 2.83 | 2.44 | 24.7 | 84 |
| May | 4.67 | 5.93 | 2.91 | 2.23 | 25.0 | 77 |
| Jun | 4.65 | 5.31 | 3.03 | 2.21 | 25.5 | 58 |
| Jul | 4.50 | 5.06 | 2.59 | 2.31 | 26.5 | 47 |
| Aug | 4.26 | 5.12 | 1.83 | 2.36 | 26.9 | 58 |
| Sep | 4.72 | 6.06 | 2.32 | 2.38 | 25.8 | 72 |
| Oct | 4.96 | 6.90 | 2.49 | 2.50 | 24.8 | 80 |
| Nov | 4.89 | 7.10 | 2.52 | 2.48 | 24.1 | 84 |
| Dec | 4.57 | 6.89 | 2.13 | 2.46 | 24.1 | 84 |
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 4.26 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Idiofa
Idiofa, 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 4.75 kWh/m²/day, a good solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Idiofa is March (autumn) at 5.11 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is August (winter) at 4.26 kWh/m²/day. When sizing a year-round off-grid system, it's standard practice to design against the August value rather than the annual average — otherwise the battery bank runs low during the darkest weeks.
Idiofa'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 Idiofa?
- Idiofa averages 4.75 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 4.26 in August to 5.11 in March.
- How many solar panels do I need in Idiofa?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Idiofa's annual average of 4.75 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 Idiofa?
- Sizing against Idiofa's worst month (August, 4.26 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 Idiofa's solar resource compare globally?
- Idiofa sits in solar zone 3 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 4.75 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 Idiofa?
- Near the equator, day length is nearly constant year-round and the sun stays close to overhead. In Idiofa, monthly PSH ranges just from 4.26 to 5.11 kWh/m²/day — variance is driven by wet-season cloud cover, not day length.
- What tilt angle works best for panels in Idiofa?
- At latitude 5°, panels in Idiofa work best at a low tilt (roughly 5°) or horizontal. Tracking mounts add little benefit this close to the equator.
- How does the wet season affect solar output in Idiofa?
- Equatorial wet seasons reduce output through cloud cover, not day length. Idiofa's worst month (August) still delivers 4.26 kWh/m²/day — design against this value for reliable year-round off-grid use.