Peak Sun Hours in Masina, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 3 (good)
- Best month
- March (5.1)
- Worst month
- June (4.0)
- Climate
- Equatorial · 24.8°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.79 | 6.85 | 2.17 | 2.56 | 24.9 | 82 |
| Feb | 4.79 | 6.97 | 2.17 | 2.55 | 25.2 | 82 |
| Mar | 5.11 | 7.04 | 2.57 | 2.57 | 25.3 | 83 |
| Apr | 4.92 | 6.73 | 2.65 | 2.45 | 25.3 | 83 |
| May | 4.40 | 5.89 | 2.45 | 2.22 | 25.0 | 83 |
| Jun | 3.98 | 5.27 | 2.09 | 2.10 | 23.8 | 78 |
| Jul | 4.06 | 5.14 | 2.03 | 2.18 | 23.6 | 75 |
| Aug | 4.17 | 5.28 | 1.92 | 2.25 | 24.7 | 71 |
| Sep | 4.37 | 6.01 | 2.03 | 2.26 | 25.7 | 71 |
| Oct | 4.35 | 6.82 | 2.05 | 2.27 | 25.4 | 78 |
| Nov | 4.60 | 7.07 | 2.28 | 2.36 | 24.7 | 83 |
| Dec | 4.47 | 6.85 | 1.94 | 2.45 | 24.6 | 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 3.98 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Masina
Masina, 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 4.5 kWh/m²/day, a good solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Masina is March (autumn) at 5.11 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is June (winter) at 3.98 kWh/m²/day. When sizing a year-round off-grid system, it's standard practice to design against the June value rather than the annual average — otherwise the battery bank runs low during the darkest weeks.
Masina'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 Masina?
- Masina averages 4.5 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 3.98 in June to 5.11 in March.
- How many solar panels do I need in Masina?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Masina's annual average of 4.5 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 Masina?
- Sizing against Masina's worst month (June, 3.98 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 Masina's solar resource compare globally?
- Masina sits in solar zone 3 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 4.5 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 Masina?
- Near the equator, day length is nearly constant year-round and the sun stays close to overhead. In Masina, monthly PSH ranges just from 3.98 to 5.11 kWh/m²/day — variance is driven by wet-season cloud cover, not day length.
- What tilt angle works best for panels in Masina?
- At latitude 4°, panels in Masina 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 Masina?
- Equatorial wet seasons reduce output through cloud cover, not day length. Masina's worst month (June) still delivers 3.98 kWh/m²/day — design against this value for reliable year-round off-grid use.