Peak Sun Hours in Kikwit, Kwilu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 3 (good)
- Best month
- October (5.0)
- Worst month
- August (4.5)
- Climate
- Equatorial · 25.7°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.75 | 6.98 | 2.17 | 2.53 | 25.2 | 78 |
| Feb | 4.87 | 7.12 | 2.23 | 2.57 | 25.7 | 77 |
| Mar | 4.99 | 7.14 | 2.53 | 2.51 | 25.6 | 79 |
| Apr | 4.89 | 6.78 | 2.81 | 2.36 | 25.3 | 83 |
| May | 4.81 | 5.89 | 3.20 | 2.20 | 25.5 | 76 |
| Jun | 4.83 | 5.27 | 3.48 | 2.16 | 25.9 | 59 |
| Jul | 4.69 | 5.04 | 3.03 | 2.27 | 26.9 | 48 |
| Aug | 4.46 | 5.10 | 2.19 | 2.40 | 27.4 | 58 |
| Sep | 4.81 | 6.08 | 2.37 | 2.43 | 26.4 | 70 |
| Oct | 5.00 | 6.96 | 2.55 | 2.47 | 25.3 | 79 |
| Nov | 4.89 | 7.21 | 2.45 | 2.48 | 24.5 | 84 |
| Dec | 4.58 | 7.01 | 2.06 | 2.47 | 24.5 | 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 4.46 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Kikwit
Kikwit, 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 4.8 kWh/m²/day, a good solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Kikwit is October (spring) at 5 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is August (winter) at 4.46 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.
Kikwit'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 Kikwit?
- Kikwit averages 4.8 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 4.46 in August to 5 in October.
- How many solar panels do I need in Kikwit?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Kikwit's annual average of 4.8 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 Kikwit?
- Sizing against Kikwit's worst month (August, 4.46 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 Kikwit's solar resource compare globally?
- Kikwit sits in solar zone 3 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 4.8 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 Kikwit?
- Near the equator, day length is nearly constant year-round and the sun stays close to overhead. In Kikwit, monthly PSH ranges just from 4.46 to 5 kWh/m²/day — variance is driven by wet-season cloud cover, not day length.
- What tilt angle works best for panels in Kikwit?
- At latitude 5°, panels in Kikwit 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 Kikwit?
- Equatorial wet seasons reduce output through cloud cover, not day length. Kikwit's worst month (August) still delivers 4.46 kWh/m²/day — design against this value for reliable year-round off-grid use.