Peak Sun Hours in Manono, Tanganyika, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 4 (excellent)
- Best month
- May (5.8)
- Worst month
- January (5.0)
- Climate
- Equatorial · 25.4°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.05 | 7.41 | 2.39 | 2.65 | 24.1 | 81 |
| Feb | 5.42 | 7.52 | 3.10 | 2.54 | 24.8 | 78 |
| Mar | 5.63 | 7.37 | 3.59 | 2.51 | 24.7 | 80 |
| Apr | 5.77 | 6.88 | 4.67 | 2.19 | 24.8 | 77 |
| May | 5.81 | 6.24 | 5.94 | 1.67 | 25.5 | 60 |
| Jun | 5.53 | 5.72 | 5.76 | 1.58 | 25.0 | 46 |
| Jul | 5.53 | 5.73 | 5.42 | 1.71 | 25.3 | 38 |
| Aug | 5.55 | 6.04 | 4.38 | 2.15 | 27.6 | 35 |
| Sep | 5.57 | 6.61 | 3.65 | 2.41 | 28.3 | 46 |
| Oct | 5.42 | 7.18 | 3.17 | 2.53 | 26.5 | 66 |
| Nov | 5.12 | 7.44 | 2.82 | 2.49 | 24.6 | 79 |
| Dec | 5.07 | 7.46 | 2.63 | 2.55 | 24.0 | 82 |
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 5.05 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Manono
Manono, 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 5.46 kWh/m²/day, a excellent solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Manono is May (autumn) at 5.81 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is January (summer) at 5.05 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.
Manono'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 Manono?
- Manono averages 5.46 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 5.05 in January to 5.81 in May.
- How many solar panels do I need in Manono?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Manono's annual average of 5.46 kWh/m²/day, a 5 kWh/day load needs roughly 3 × 400 W panels. Use the calculator above for your actual load.
- What size battery do I need in Manono?
- Sizing against Manono's worst month (January, 5.05 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 Manono's solar resource compare globally?
- Manono sits in solar zone 4 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 5.46 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 Manono?
- Near the equator, day length is nearly constant year-round and the sun stays close to overhead. In Manono, monthly PSH ranges just from 5.05 to 5.81 kWh/m²/day — variance is driven by wet-season cloud cover, not day length.
- What tilt angle works best for panels in Manono?
- At latitude 7°, panels in Manono work best at a low tilt (roughly 7°) or horizontal. Tracking mounts add little benefit this close to the equator.
- How does the wet season affect solar output in Manono?
- Equatorial wet seasons reduce output through cloud cover, not day length. Manono's worst month (January) still delivers 5.05 kWh/m²/day — design against this value for reliable year-round off-grid use.