Peak Sun Hours in Uvira, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Solar zone
- Zone 3 (good)
- Best month
- September (5.4)
- Worst month
- November (4.6)
- Climate
- Temperate · 21.1°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.83 | 7.36 | 2.67 | 2.40 | 21.1 | 76 |
| Feb | 5.16 | 7.60 | 3.04 | 2.46 | 21.6 | 74 |
| Mar | 5.10 | 7.62 | 2.84 | 2.51 | 21.5 | 76 |
| Apr | 4.76 | 7.25 | 2.52 | 2.46 | 21.1 | 79 |
| May | 4.67 | 6.73 | 3.29 | 2.12 | 20.6 | 76 |
| Jun | 4.89 | 6.20 | 4.06 | 1.94 | 19.8 | 70 |
| Jul | 5.28 | 6.24 | 4.37 | 1.99 | 19.8 | 63 |
| Aug | 5.38 | 6.66 | 4.09 | 2.10 | 21.1 | 60 |
| Sep | 5.42 | 7.25 | 3.68 | 2.27 | 22.3 | 61 |
| Oct | 5.01 | 7.56 | 2.85 | 2.44 | 22.1 | 67 |
| Nov | 4.57 | 7.50 | 2.35 | 2.36 | 21.1 | 76 |
| Dec | 4.64 | 7.36 | 2.54 | 2.37 | 21.0 | 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 4.57 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Uvira
Uvira, Democratic Republic of the Congo has a temperate climate with meaningful seasonal variation in solar resource. Its annual peak sun hours average 4.98 kWh/m²/day, a good solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Uvira is September (spring) at 5.42 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is November (spring) at 4.57 kWh/m²/day. When sizing a year-round off-grid system, it's standard practice to design against the November value rather than the annual average — otherwise the battery bank runs low during the darkest weeks.
Uvira'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 Uvira?
- Uvira averages 4.98 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 4.57 in November to 5.42 in September.
- How many solar panels do I need in Uvira?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Uvira'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 Uvira?
- Sizing against Uvira's worst month (November, 4.57 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 Uvira's solar resource compare globally?
- Uvira 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.
- How much does winter reduce solar output in Uvira?
- Uvira's worst month (November) delivers 4.57 kWh/m²/day — about 84% of the summer peak of 5.42. Off-grid systems here typically oversize 1.5–2× or pair with a backup source.
- Do cloudy days significantly affect Uvira's solar?
- Partly. Diffuse light still produces 10–25% of clear-sky output. Uvira's 4.98 kWh/m²/day already reflects average cloudiness, so no further derating is needed for sizing.
- What panel tilt works best in Uvira?
- At Uvira's latitude (3°), a fixed tilt near 3° balances year-round yield. Winter-heavy loads favor latitude + 15°; summer-heavy, latitude − 15°.