Peak Sun Hours in Rutshuru, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 3 (good)
- Best month
- February (5.0)
- Worst month
- May (4.6)
- Climate
- Temperate · 21.0°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.82 | 7.20 | 2.63 | 2.48 | 20.8 | 73 |
| Feb | 5.03 | 7.53 | 2.77 | 2.57 | 21.6 | 70 |
| Mar | 4.92 | 7.66 | 2.49 | 2.60 | 21.4 | 73 |
| Apr | 4.72 | 7.41 | 2.31 | 2.55 | 20.9 | 78 |
| May | 4.63 | 6.93 | 2.70 | 2.35 | 20.8 | 77 |
| Jun | 4.67 | 6.35 | 3.02 | 2.22 | 20.9 | 70 |
| Jul | 4.87 | 6.32 | 3.19 | 2.21 | 21.2 | 64 |
| Aug | 4.84 | 6.77 | 2.88 | 2.28 | 21.5 | 66 |
| Sep | 5.03 | 7.36 | 2.93 | 2.36 | 21.3 | 71 |
| Oct | 4.85 | 7.59 | 2.57 | 2.47 | 20.7 | 76 |
| Nov | 4.64 | 7.41 | 2.39 | 2.43 | 20.1 | 80 |
| Dec | 4.66 | 7.19 | 2.56 | 2.42 | 20.3 | 77 |
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 4.63 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Rutshuru
Rutshuru, Democratic Republic of the Congo has a temperate climate with meaningful seasonal variation in solar resource. Its annual peak sun hours average 4.81 kWh/m²/day, a good solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Rutshuru is February (summer) at 5.03 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is May (autumn) at 4.63 kWh/m²/day. When sizing a year-round off-grid system, it's standard practice to design against the May value rather than the annual average — otherwise the battery bank runs low during the darkest weeks.
Rutshuru'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 Rutshuru?
- Rutshuru averages 4.81 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 4.63 in May to 5.03 in February.
- How many solar panels do I need in Rutshuru?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Rutshuru's annual average of 4.81 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 Rutshuru?
- Sizing against Rutshuru's worst month (May, 4.63 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 Rutshuru's solar resource compare globally?
- Rutshuru sits in solar zone 3 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 4.81 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.
- How much does winter reduce solar output in Rutshuru?
- Rutshuru's worst month (May) delivers 4.63 kWh/m²/day — about 92% of the summer peak of 5.03. Off-grid systems here typically oversize 1.5–2× or pair with a backup source.
- Do cloudy days significantly affect Rutshuru's solar?
- Partly. Diffuse light still produces 10–25% of clear-sky output. Rutshuru's 4.81 kWh/m²/day already reflects average cloudiness, so no further derating is needed for sizing.
- What panel tilt works best in Rutshuru?
- At Rutshuru's latitude (1°), a fixed tilt near 1° balances year-round yield. Winter-heavy loads favor latitude + 15°; summer-heavy, latitude − 15°.