Peak Sun Hours in Kamina, Haut-Lomami, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 4 (excellent)
- Best month
- May (5.5)
- Worst month
- January (4.8)
- Climate
- Tropical · 22.8°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.79 | 7.47 | 1.92 | 2.64 | 22.0 | 82 |
| Feb | 5.12 | 7.55 | 2.41 | 2.62 | 22.5 | 80 |
| Mar | 5.23 | 7.38 | 2.73 | 2.61 | 22.5 | 81 |
| Apr | 5.46 | 6.89 | 3.86 | 2.38 | 22.3 | 80 |
| May | 5.52 | 6.19 | 5.29 | 1.81 | 22.0 | 64 |
| Jun | 5.42 | 5.68 | 5.61 | 1.62 | 20.9 | 49 |
| Jul | 5.41 | 5.66 | 5.18 | 1.75 | 21.4 | 40 |
| Aug | 5.20 | 5.76 | 3.69 | 2.23 | 24.1 | 35 |
| Sep | 5.11 | 6.25 | 2.68 | 2.56 | 25.8 | 46 |
| Oct | 5.18 | 6.94 | 2.62 | 2.59 | 24.6 | 65 |
| Nov | 5.13 | 7.43 | 2.41 | 2.67 | 23.0 | 77 |
| Dec | 4.87 | 7.53 | 2.03 | 2.67 | 22.1 | 82 |
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 4.79 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Kamina
Kamina, Democratic Republic of the Congo has a warm, tropical climate with a distinct wet and dry season. Its annual peak sun hours average 5.2 kWh/m²/day, a excellent solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Kamina is May (autumn) at 5.52 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is January (summer) at 4.79 kWh/m²/day. When sizing a year-round off-grid system, it's standard practice to design against the January value rather than the annual average — otherwise the battery bank runs low during the darkest weeks.
Kamina'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 Kamina?
- Kamina averages 5.2 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 4.79 in January to 5.52 in May.
- How many solar panels do I need in Kamina?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Kamina's annual average of 5.2 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 Kamina?
- Sizing against Kamina's worst month (January, 4.79 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 Kamina's solar resource compare globally?
- Kamina sits in solar zone 4 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 5.2 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.
- How does the wet season affect solar generation in Kamina?
- Kamina's dry-season output peaks at 5.52 kWh/m²/day in May; the wet season drops it to 4.79 in January. That ~14% swing is a key sizing consideration.
- Can solar panels survive tropical storms in Kamina?
- Most tier-1 PV panels are rated for 140+ mph wind loads; mounting hardware usually fails first. In cyclone-prone regions like Democratic Republic of the Congo, specify IEC 61215-certified panels and anchor-bolt mounts rather than ballasted.
- What's the dry-to-wet output gap in Kamina?
- Kamina swings from 5.52 kWh/m²/day in May (dry) to 4.79 in January (wet) — roughly 14%. Year-round off-grid systems must size against the wet-season minimum.