Peak Sun Hours in Tshikapa, Kasai, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 3 (good)
- Best month
- March (5.2)
- Worst month
- August (4.5)
- Climate
- Equatorial · 25.5°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.86 | 7.14 | 2.24 | 2.59 | 24.9 | 79 |
| Feb | 5.06 | 7.27 | 2.49 | 2.60 | 25.5 | 77 |
| Mar | 5.21 | 7.24 | 2.92 | 2.51 | 25.3 | 79 |
| Apr | 5.12 | 6.80 | 3.26 | 2.37 | 25.0 | 82 |
| May | 5.08 | 5.98 | 3.97 | 2.06 | 25.7 | 68 |
| Jun | 5.04 | 5.42 | 4.19 | 1.96 | 25.5 | 48 |
| Jul | 4.86 | 5.23 | 3.55 | 2.13 | 26.0 | 40 |
| Aug | 4.45 | 5.11 | 2.24 | 2.35 | 27.3 | 52 |
| Sep | 4.84 | 6.02 | 2.41 | 2.43 | 26.4 | 70 |
| Oct | 5.20 | 6.88 | 2.74 | 2.54 | 25.4 | 78 |
| Nov | 5.19 | 7.28 | 2.75 | 2.60 | 24.5 | 83 |
| Dec | 4.87 | 7.21 | 2.32 | 2.58 | 24.4 | 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 4.45 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Tshikapa
Tshikapa, 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 4.98 kWh/m²/day, a good solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Tshikapa is March (autumn) at 5.21 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is August (winter) at 4.45 kWh/m²/day. When sizing a year-round off-grid system, it's standard practice to design against the August value rather than the annual average — otherwise the battery bank runs low during the darkest weeks.
Tshikapa'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 Tshikapa?
- Tshikapa averages 4.98 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 4.45 in August to 5.21 in March.
- How many solar panels do I need in Tshikapa?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Tshikapa's annual average of 4.98 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 Tshikapa?
- Sizing against Tshikapa's worst month (August, 4.45 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 Tshikapa's solar resource compare globally?
- Tshikapa sits in solar zone 3 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 4.98 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 Tshikapa?
- Near the equator, day length is nearly constant year-round and the sun stays close to overhead. In Tshikapa, monthly PSH ranges just from 4.45 to 5.21 kWh/m²/day — variance is driven by wet-season cloud cover, not day length.
- What tilt angle works best for panels in Tshikapa?
- At latitude 6°, panels in Tshikapa 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 Tshikapa?
- Equatorial wet seasons reduce output through cloud cover, not day length. Tshikapa's worst month (August) still delivers 4.45 kWh/m²/day — design against this value for reliable year-round off-grid use.