Peak Sun Hours in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico
- Solar zone
- Zone 4 (excellent)
- Best month
- May (7.9)
- Worst month
- December (3.9)
- Climate
- Temperate · 17.1°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.16 | 4.75 | 6.73 | 1.08 | 8.2 | 49 |
| Feb | 5.14 | 5.84 | 7.26 | 1.33 | 10.5 | 41 |
| Mar | 6.40 | 7.14 | 8.04 | 1.55 | 14.1 | 32 |
| Apr | 7.37 | 8.21 | 8.46 | 1.77 | 18.2 | 26 |
| May | 7.89 | 8.70 | 8.83 | 1.79 | 22.2 | 25 |
| Jun | 7.35 | 8.57 | 7.26 | 2.05 | 25.9 | 34 |
| Jul | 6.47 | 8.22 | 5.32 | 2.46 | 23.9 | 54 |
| Aug | 6.41 | 7.72 | 5.82 | 2.20 | 23.1 | 59 |
| Sep | 5.63 | 6.90 | 5.67 | 1.90 | 20.8 | 62 |
| Oct | 5.32 | 5.94 | 7.40 | 1.19 | 17.4 | 55 |
| Nov | 4.44 | 4.92 | 7.19 | 0.98 | 12.2 | 52 |
| Dec | 3.93 | 4.42 | 6.80 | 0.95 | 8.4 | 50 |
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 3.93 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Chihuahua
Chihuahua, Mexico has a temperate climate with meaningful seasonal variation in solar resource. Its annual peak sun hours average 5.88 kWh/m²/day, a excellent solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Chihuahua is May (spring) at 7.89 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is December (winter) at 3.93 kWh/m²/day. When sizing a year-round off-grid system, it's standard practice to design against the December value rather than the annual average — otherwise the battery bank runs low during the darkest weeks.
Chihuahua'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 Chihuahua?
- Chihuahua averages 5.88 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 3.93 in December to 7.89 in May.
- How many solar panels do I need in Chihuahua?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Chihuahua's annual average of 5.88 kWh/m²/day, a 5 kWh/day load needs roughly 3 × 400 W panels. Use the calculator above for your actual load.
- What size battery do I need in Chihuahua?
- Sizing against Chihuahua's worst month (December, 3.93 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 Chihuahua's solar resource compare globally?
- Chihuahua sits in solar zone 4 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 5.88 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 much does winter reduce solar output in Chihuahua?
- Chihuahua's worst month (December) delivers 3.93 kWh/m²/day — about 50% of the summer peak of 7.89. Off-grid systems here typically oversize 1.5–2× or pair with a backup source.
- Do cloudy days significantly affect Chihuahua's solar?
- Partly. Diffuse light still produces 10–25% of clear-sky output. Chihuahua's 5.88 kWh/m²/day already reflects average cloudiness, so no further derating is needed for sizing.
- What panel tilt works best in Chihuahua?
- At Chihuahua's latitude (29°), a fixed tilt near 29° balances year-round yield. Winter-heavy loads favor latitude + 15°; summer-heavy, latitude − 15°.