Peak Sun Hours in Kananga, Kasai-Central, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 3 (good)
- Best month
- October (5.2)
- Worst month
- August (4.3)
- Climate
- Equatorial · 25.3°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.75 | 7.00 | 2.16 | 2.57 | 24.6 | 80 |
| Feb | 4.99 | 7.19 | 2.43 | 2.60 | 25.1 | 78 |
| Mar | 5.21 | 7.21 | 2.83 | 2.57 | 25.1 | 79 |
| Apr | 5.17 | 6.83 | 3.19 | 2.47 | 24.9 | 81 |
| May | 4.97 | 6.05 | 3.63 | 2.13 | 25.4 | 68 |
| Jun | 4.70 | 5.35 | 3.33 | 2.13 | 25.5 | 49 |
| Jul | 4.39 | 5.14 | 2.55 | 2.22 | 26.3 | 39 |
| Aug | 4.31 | 5.30 | 1.86 | 2.38 | 27.2 | 50 |
| Sep | 4.92 | 6.20 | 2.42 | 2.49 | 26.0 | 70 |
| Oct | 5.22 | 6.96 | 2.56 | 2.67 | 25.0 | 79 |
| Nov | 5.16 | 7.20 | 2.57 | 2.68 | 24.2 | 84 |
| Dec | 4.77 | 7.06 | 2.19 | 2.59 | 24.1 | 83 |
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 4.31 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Kananga
Kananga, 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 4.88 kWh/m²/day, a good solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Kananga is October (spring) at 5.22 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is August (winter) at 4.31 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.
Kananga'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 Kananga?
- Kananga averages 4.88 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 4.31 in August to 5.22 in October.
- How many solar panels do I need in Kananga?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Kananga's annual average of 4.88 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 Kananga?
- Sizing against Kananga's worst month (August, 4.31 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 Kananga's solar resource compare globally?
- Kananga sits in solar zone 3 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 4.88 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 Kananga?
- Near the equator, day length is nearly constant year-round and the sun stays close to overhead. In Kananga, monthly PSH ranges just from 4.31 to 5.22 kWh/m²/day — variance is driven by wet-season cloud cover, not day length.
- What tilt angle works best for panels in Kananga?
- At latitude 6°, panels in Kananga 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 Kananga?
- Equatorial wet seasons reduce output through cloud cover, not day length. Kananga's worst month (August) still delivers 4.31 kWh/m²/day — design against this value for reliable year-round off-grid use.