Peak Sun Hours in Mulongo, Haut-Lomami, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 4 (excellent)
- Best month
- May (5.8)
- Worst month
- January (4.9)
- Climate
- Equatorial · 26.4°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.87 | 7.34 | 2.12 | 2.63 | 25.0 | 78 |
| Feb | 5.30 | 7.48 | 2.88 | 2.55 | 25.7 | 75 |
| Mar | 5.55 | 7.36 | 3.42 | 2.54 | 25.7 | 76 |
| Apr | 5.74 | 6.88 | 4.53 | 2.27 | 26.0 | 73 |
| May | 5.75 | 6.20 | 5.71 | 1.77 | 26.5 | 57 |
| Jun | 5.43 | 5.63 | 5.40 | 1.70 | 25.8 | 44 |
| Jul | 5.41 | 5.62 | 5.05 | 1.81 | 26.2 | 36 |
| Aug | 5.28 | 5.81 | 3.84 | 2.23 | 28.6 | 33 |
| Sep | 5.26 | 6.35 | 3.00 | 2.48 | 29.4 | 43 |
| Oct | 5.24 | 7.04 | 2.81 | 2.56 | 27.5 | 64 |
| Nov | 5.14 | 7.40 | 2.73 | 2.54 | 25.7 | 76 |
| Dec | 4.99 | 7.42 | 2.40 | 2.61 | 25.0 | 79 |
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 4.87 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Mulongo
Mulongo, 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 5.33 kWh/m²/day, a excellent solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Mulongo is May (autumn) at 5.75 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is January (summer) at 4.87 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.
Mulongo'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 Mulongo?
- Mulongo averages 5.33 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 4.87 in January to 5.75 in May.
- How many solar panels do I need in Mulongo?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Mulongo's annual average of 5.33 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 Mulongo?
- Sizing against Mulongo's worst month (January, 4.87 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 Mulongo's solar resource compare globally?
- Mulongo sits in solar zone 4 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 5.33 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 Mulongo?
- Near the equator, day length is nearly constant year-round and the sun stays close to overhead. In Mulongo, monthly PSH ranges just from 4.87 to 5.75 kWh/m²/day — variance is driven by wet-season cloud cover, not day length.
- What tilt angle works best for panels in Mulongo?
- At latitude 8°, panels in Mulongo work best at a low tilt (roughly 8°) or horizontal. Tracking mounts add little benefit this close to the equator.
- How does the wet season affect solar output in Mulongo?
- Equatorial wet seasons reduce output through cloud cover, not day length. Mulongo's worst month (January) still delivers 4.87 kWh/m²/day — design against this value for reliable year-round off-grid use.