Peak Sun Hours in Kindu, Maniema, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 3 (good)
- Best month
- March (5.2)
- Worst month
- July (4.1)
- Climate
- Equatorial · 24.5°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.59 | 6.78 | 2.19 | 2.47 | 24.2 | 87 |
| Feb | 5.03 | 7.11 | 2.55 | 2.59 | 24.7 | 87 |
| Mar | 5.23 | 7.26 | 2.97 | 2.52 | 24.6 | 88 |
| Apr | 5.01 | 7.00 | 2.89 | 2.50 | 24.3 | 91 |
| May | 4.76 | 6.38 | 3.07 | 2.25 | 24.6 | 87 |
| Jun | 4.34 | 5.64 | 2.44 | 2.23 | 25.1 | 76 |
| Jul | 4.08 | 5.45 | 1.87 | 2.26 | 25.6 | 70 |
| Aug | 4.13 | 5.74 | 1.60 | 2.34 | 25.6 | 77 |
| Sep | 4.73 | 6.54 | 2.22 | 2.47 | 24.7 | 84 |
| Oct | 4.76 | 7.04 | 2.19 | 2.54 | 23.9 | 89 |
| Nov | 4.76 | 7.07 | 2.34 | 2.53 | 23.7 | 91 |
| Dec | 4.48 | 6.84 | 2.27 | 2.38 | 23.7 | 90 |
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 4.08 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Kindu
Kindu, 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 4.66 kWh/m²/day, a good solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Kindu is March (autumn) at 5.23 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is July (winter) at 4.08 kWh/m²/day. When sizing a year-round off-grid system, it's standard practice to design against the July value rather than the annual average — otherwise the battery bank runs low during the darkest weeks.
Kindu'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 Kindu?
- Kindu averages 4.66 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 4.08 in July to 5.23 in March.
- How many solar panels do I need in Kindu?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Kindu's annual average of 4.66 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 Kindu?
- Sizing against Kindu's worst month (July, 4.08 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 Kindu's solar resource compare globally?
- Kindu sits in solar zone 3 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 4.66 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 Kindu?
- Near the equator, day length is nearly constant year-round and the sun stays close to overhead. In Kindu, monthly PSH ranges just from 4.08 to 5.23 kWh/m²/day — variance is driven by wet-season cloud cover, not day length.
- What tilt angle works best for panels in Kindu?
- At latitude 3°, panels in Kindu work best at a low tilt (roughly 3°) or horizontal. Tracking mounts add little benefit this close to the equator.
- How does the wet season affect solar output in Kindu?
- Equatorial wet seasons reduce output through cloud cover, not day length. Kindu's worst month (July) still delivers 4.08 kWh/m²/day — design against this value for reliable year-round off-grid use.