Peak Sun Hours in Kongolo, Tanganyika, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 4 (excellent)
- Best month
- May (5.5)
- Worst month
- November (4.7)
- Climate
- Equatorial · 25.1°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.81 | 7.27 | 2.29 | 2.53 | 24.0 | 83 |
| Feb | 5.31 | 7.46 | 2.98 | 2.55 | 24.7 | 81 |
| Mar | 5.42 | 7.40 | 3.16 | 2.57 | 24.6 | 82 |
| Apr | 5.41 | 6.96 | 3.70 | 2.42 | 24.7 | 82 |
| May | 5.53 | 6.35 | 4.89 | 2.00 | 25.5 | 71 |
| Jun | 5.37 | 5.77 | 4.96 | 1.84 | 25.4 | 57 |
| Jul | 5.29 | 5.76 | 4.50 | 1.97 | 25.8 | 49 |
| Aug | 5.07 | 6.07 | 3.23 | 2.32 | 27.3 | 53 |
| Sep | 5.10 | 6.68 | 2.81 | 2.46 | 26.2 | 69 |
| Oct | 4.96 | 7.21 | 2.55 | 2.50 | 24.8 | 80 |
| Nov | 4.65 | 7.35 | 2.31 | 2.40 | 23.9 | 85 |
| Dec | 4.75 | 7.31 | 2.31 | 2.51 | 23.8 | 85 |
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 4.65 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Kongolo
Kongolo, 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 5.14 kWh/m²/day, a excellent solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Kongolo is May (autumn) at 5.53 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is November (spring) at 4.65 kWh/m²/day. When sizing a year-round off-grid system, it's standard practice to design against the November value rather than the annual average — otherwise the battery bank runs low during the darkest weeks.
Kongolo'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 Kongolo?
- Kongolo averages 5.14 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 4.65 in November to 5.53 in May.
- How many solar panels do I need in Kongolo?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Kongolo's annual average of 5.14 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 Kongolo?
- Sizing against Kongolo's worst month (November, 4.65 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 Kongolo's solar resource compare globally?
- Kongolo sits in solar zone 4 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 5.14 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.
- Why doesn't solar output vary much by month in Kongolo?
- Near the equator, day length is nearly constant year-round and the sun stays close to overhead. In Kongolo, monthly PSH ranges just from 4.65 to 5.53 kWh/m²/day — variance is driven by wet-season cloud cover, not day length.
- What tilt angle works best for panels in Kongolo?
- At latitude 5°, panels in Kongolo 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 Kongolo?
- Equatorial wet seasons reduce output through cloud cover, not day length. Kongolo's worst month (November) still delivers 4.65 kWh/m²/day — design against this value for reliable year-round off-grid use.