Peak Sun Hours in Kalemie, Tanganyika, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 4 (excellent)
- Best month
- September (5.8)
- Worst month
- November (4.5)
- Climate
- Equatorial · 25.0°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.85 | 7.36 | 2.60 | 2.41 | 24.1 | 74 |
| Feb | 5.26 | 7.54 | 3.10 | 2.45 | 24.9 | 72 |
| Mar | 5.25 | 7.46 | 3.13 | 2.43 | 24.9 | 73 |
| Apr | 5.14 | 7.01 | 3.53 | 2.23 | 24.7 | 74 |
| May | 5.32 | 6.45 | 4.76 | 1.87 | 24.9 | 66 |
| Jun | 5.40 | 5.95 | 5.26 | 1.70 | 24.0 | 59 |
| Jul | 5.59 | 5.99 | 5.30 | 1.75 | 23.8 | 55 |
| Aug | 5.77 | 6.40 | 4.88 | 1.96 | 25.5 | 51 |
| Sep | 5.84 | 6.99 | 4.23 | 2.26 | 27.1 | 49 |
| Oct | 5.39 | 7.40 | 3.40 | 2.40 | 26.8 | 58 |
| Nov | 4.54 | 7.45 | 2.39 | 2.29 | 25.1 | 70 |
| Dec | 4.55 | 7.38 | 2.45 | 2.28 | 24.1 | 75 |
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 4.54 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Kalemie
Kalemie, 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 5.24 kWh/m²/day, a excellent solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Kalemie is September (spring) at 5.84 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is November (spring) at 4.54 kWh/m²/day. When sizing a year-round off-grid system, it's standard practice to design against the November value rather than the annual average — otherwise the battery bank runs low during the darkest weeks.
Kalemie'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 Kalemie?
- Kalemie averages 5.24 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 4.54 in November to 5.84 in September.
- How many solar panels do I need in Kalemie?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Kalemie's annual average of 5.24 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 Kalemie?
- Sizing against Kalemie's worst month (November, 4.54 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 Kalemie's solar resource compare globally?
- Kalemie sits in solar zone 4 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 5.24 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 Kalemie?
- Near the equator, day length is nearly constant year-round and the sun stays close to overhead. In Kalemie, monthly PSH ranges just from 4.54 to 5.84 kWh/m²/day — variance is driven by wet-season cloud cover, not day length.
- What tilt angle works best for panels in Kalemie?
- At latitude 6°, panels in Kalemie work best at a low tilt (roughly 6°) or horizontal. Tracking mounts add little benefit this close to the equator.
- How does the wet season affect solar output in Kalemie?
- Equatorial wet seasons reduce output through cloud cover, not day length. Kalemie's worst month (November) still delivers 4.54 kWh/m²/day — design against this value for reliable year-round off-grid use.