Peak Sun Hours in Lodja, Sankuru, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 3 (good)
- Best month
- March (5.0)
- Worst month
- July (4.2)
- Climate
- Equatorial · 25.0°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.60 | 6.78 | 2.08 | 2.50 | 24.6 | 84 |
| Feb | 4.83 | 7.05 | 2.29 | 2.55 | 25.1 | 84 |
| Mar | 5.02 | 7.19 | 2.67 | 2.48 | 24.7 | 87 |
| Apr | 4.94 | 6.91 | 2.73 | 2.50 | 24.6 | 89 |
| May | 4.84 | 6.20 | 3.16 | 2.24 | 24.9 | 84 |
| Jun | 4.42 | 5.40 | 2.56 | 2.21 | 25.4 | 69 |
| Jul | 4.16 | 5.17 | 1.89 | 2.30 | 26.4 | 56 |
| Aug | 4.30 | 5.51 | 1.76 | 2.39 | 26.4 | 69 |
| Sep | 4.97 | 6.40 | 2.42 | 2.52 | 25.3 | 79 |
| Oct | 5.01 | 7.00 | 2.43 | 2.60 | 24.2 | 88 |
| Nov | 4.82 | 7.07 | 2.29 | 2.57 | 23.9 | 89 |
| Dec | 4.49 | 6.84 | 2.06 | 2.47 | 24.0 | 88 |
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 4.16 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Lodja
Lodja, 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 4.7 kWh/m²/day, a good solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Lodja is March (autumn) at 5.02 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is July (winter) at 4.16 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.
Lodja'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 Lodja?
- Lodja averages 4.7 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 4.16 in July to 5.02 in March.
- How many solar panels do I need in Lodja?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Lodja's annual average of 4.7 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 Lodja?
- Sizing against Lodja's worst month (July, 4.16 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 Lodja's solar resource compare globally?
- Lodja sits in solar zone 3 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 4.7 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 Lodja?
- Near the equator, day length is nearly constant year-round and the sun stays close to overhead. In Lodja, monthly PSH ranges just from 4.16 to 5.02 kWh/m²/day — variance is driven by wet-season cloud cover, not day length.
- What tilt angle works best for panels in Lodja?
- At latitude 4°, panels in Lodja work best at a low tilt (roughly 4°) or horizontal. Tracking mounts add little benefit this close to the equator.
- How does the wet season affect solar output in Lodja?
- Equatorial wet seasons reduce output through cloud cover, not day length. Lodja's worst month (July) still delivers 4.16 kWh/m²/day — design against this value for reliable year-round off-grid use.