Peak Sun Hours in Moanda, Bas-Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 3 (good)
- Best month
- March (5.2)
- Worst month
- September (3.5)
- Climate
- Equatorial · 25.8°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.80 | 6.80 | 2.27 | 2.51 | 26.8 | 83 |
| Feb | 4.87 | 6.88 | 2.23 | 2.55 | 27.2 | 83 |
| Mar | 5.16 | 6.90 | 2.67 | 2.55 | 27.3 | 83 |
| Apr | 4.75 | 6.59 | 2.60 | 2.35 | 26.9 | 86 |
| May | 4.01 | 5.74 | 2.12 | 2.10 | 26.1 | 86 |
| Jun | 3.65 | 5.06 | 1.75 | 2.02 | 24.1 | 82 |
| Jul | 3.56 | 4.92 | 1.54 | 2.01 | 23.2 | 79 |
| Aug | 3.48 | 5.14 | 1.26 | 1.99 | 23.4 | 77 |
| Sep | 3.45 | 5.95 | 1.26 | 1.95 | 25.0 | 75 |
| Oct | 3.70 | 6.74 | 1.71 | 1.97 | 26.3 | 77 |
| Nov | 4.58 | 7.04 | 2.47 | 2.26 | 26.5 | 82 |
| Dec | 4.42 | 6.82 | 2.10 | 2.35 | 26.4 | 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 3.45 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Moanda
Moanda, 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 4.2 kWh/m²/day, a good solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Moanda is March (autumn) at 5.16 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is September (spring) at 3.45 kWh/m²/day. When sizing a year-round off-grid system, it's standard practice to design against the September value rather than the annual average — otherwise the battery bank runs low during the darkest weeks.
Moanda'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 Moanda?
- Moanda averages 4.2 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 3.45 in September to 5.16 in March.
- How many solar panels do I need in Moanda?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Moanda's annual average of 4.2 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 Moanda?
- Sizing against Moanda's worst month (September, 3.45 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 Moanda's solar resource compare globally?
- Moanda sits in solar zone 3 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 4.2 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 Moanda?
- Near the equator, day length is nearly constant year-round and the sun stays close to overhead. In Moanda, monthly PSH ranges just from 3.45 to 5.16 kWh/m²/day — variance is driven by wet-season cloud cover, not day length.
- What tilt angle works best for panels in Moanda?
- At latitude 6°, panels in Moanda work best at a low tilt (roughly 6°) or horizontal. Tracking mounts add little benefit this close to the equator.
- How does the wet season affect solar output in Moanda?
- Equatorial wet seasons reduce output through cloud cover, not day length. Moanda's worst month (September) still delivers 3.45 kWh/m²/day — design against this value for reliable year-round off-grid use.