Peak Sun Hours in Tshilenge, Lualaba, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 4 (excellent)
- Best month
- May (5.7)
- Worst month
- January (5.0)
- Climate
- Tropical · 22.6°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.00 | 7.69 | 2.12 | 2.74 | 21.7 | 84 |
| Feb | 5.18 | 7.67 | 2.48 | 2.70 | 22.1 | 82 |
| Mar | 5.39 | 7.39 | 3.07 | 2.60 | 22.2 | 82 |
| Apr | 5.65 | 6.83 | 4.54 | 2.21 | 22.2 | 76 |
| May | 5.74 | 6.11 | 6.19 | 1.56 | 21.6 | 58 |
| Jun | 5.48 | 5.63 | 6.15 | 1.42 | 20.4 | 46 |
| Jul | 5.46 | 5.60 | 5.68 | 1.62 | 20.7 | 36 |
| Aug | 5.42 | 5.77 | 4.39 | 2.12 | 23.7 | 30 |
| Sep | 5.52 | 6.31 | 3.52 | 2.47 | 26.3 | 36 |
| Oct | 5.66 | 7.04 | 3.28 | 2.62 | 25.6 | 57 |
| Nov | 5.33 | 7.58 | 2.68 | 2.72 | 23.0 | 77 |
| Dec | 5.02 | 7.74 | 2.22 | 2.72 | 21.9 | 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 5.00 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Tshilenge
Tshilenge, Democratic Republic of the Congo has a warm, tropical climate with a distinct wet and dry season. Its annual peak sun hours average 5.4 kWh/m²/day, a excellent solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Tshilenge is May (autumn) at 5.74 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is January (summer) at 5 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.
Tshilenge'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 Tshilenge?
- Tshilenge averages 5.4 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 5 in January to 5.74 in May.
- How many solar panels do I need in Tshilenge?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Tshilenge's annual average of 5.4 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 Tshilenge?
- Sizing against Tshilenge's worst month (January, 5 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 Tshilenge's solar resource compare globally?
- Tshilenge sits in solar zone 4 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 5.4 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.
- How does the wet season affect solar generation in Tshilenge?
- Tshilenge's dry-season output peaks at 5.74 kWh/m²/day in May; the wet season drops it to 5 in January. That ~14% swing is a key sizing consideration.
- Can solar panels survive tropical storms in Tshilenge?
- Most tier-1 PV panels are rated for 140+ mph wind loads; mounting hardware usually fails first. In cyclone-prone regions like Democratic Republic of the Congo, specify IEC 61215-certified panels and anchor-bolt mounts rather than ballasted.
- What's the dry-to-wet output gap in Tshilenge?
- Tshilenge swings from 5.74 kWh/m²/day in May (dry) to 5 in January (wet) — roughly 14%. Year-round off-grid systems must size against the wet-season minimum.