Peak Sun Hours in Kolwezi, Lualaba, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 4 (excellent)
- Best month
- September (5.9)
- Worst month
- January (4.8)
- Climate
- Temperate · 20.8°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.77 | 7.74 | 1.84 | 2.70 | 20.4 | 85 |
| Feb | 4.96 | 7.71 | 2.15 | 2.66 | 20.8 | 83 |
| Mar | 5.16 | 7.42 | 2.62 | 2.63 | 20.8 | 83 |
| Apr | 5.58 | 6.88 | 4.33 | 2.26 | 20.4 | 79 |
| May | 5.78 | 6.21 | 6.22 | 1.60 | 19.3 | 67 |
| Jun | 5.60 | 5.78 | 6.57 | 1.33 | 18.0 | 57 |
| Jul | 5.68 | 5.84 | 6.33 | 1.44 | 18.2 | 49 |
| Aug | 5.79 | 6.13 | 5.16 | 1.97 | 21.2 | 39 |
| Sep | 5.88 | 6.62 | 4.19 | 2.38 | 24.2 | 38 |
| Oct | 5.67 | 7.19 | 3.33 | 2.59 | 24.2 | 56 |
| Nov | 5.13 | 7.65 | 2.48 | 2.63 | 22.0 | 76 |
| Dec | 4.85 | 7.79 | 1.99 | 2.70 | 20.8 | 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 4.77 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Kolwezi
Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of the Congo has a temperate climate with meaningful seasonal variation in solar resource. Its annual peak sun hours average 5.4 kWh/m²/day, a excellent solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Kolwezi is September (spring) at 5.88 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is January (summer) at 4.77 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.
Kolwezi'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 Kolwezi?
- Kolwezi averages 5.4 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 4.77 in January to 5.88 in September.
- How many solar panels do I need in Kolwezi?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Kolwezi's annual average of 5.4 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 Kolwezi?
- Sizing against Kolwezi's worst month (January, 4.77 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 Kolwezi's solar resource compare globally?
- Kolwezi sits in solar zone 4 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 5.4 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 much does winter reduce solar output in Kolwezi?
- Kolwezi's worst month (January) delivers 4.77 kWh/m²/day — about 81% of the summer peak of 5.88. Off-grid systems here typically oversize 1.5–2× or pair with a backup source.
- Do cloudy days significantly affect Kolwezi's solar?
- Partly. Diffuse light still produces 10–25% of clear-sky output. Kolwezi's 5.4 kWh/m²/day already reflects average cloudiness, so no further derating is needed for sizing.
- What panel tilt works best in Kolwezi?
- At Kolwezi's latitude (11°), a fixed tilt near 11° balances year-round yield. Winter-heavy loads favor latitude + 15°; summer-heavy, latitude − 15°.