Peak Sun Hours in Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
- Solar zone
- Zone 3 (good)
- Best month
- May (6.8)
- Worst month
- December (3.0)
- Climate
- Arid · 25.7°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.11 | 3.55 | 3.46 | 1.39 | 12.3 | 39 |
| Feb | 3.95 | 4.56 | 3.87 | 1.68 | 15.0 | 42 |
| Mar | 5.07 | 5.81 | 4.23 | 2.15 | 21.0 | 41 |
| Apr | 6.23 | 6.91 | 4.81 | 2.51 | 27.4 | 34 |
| May | 6.83 | 7.35 | 4.69 | 2.89 | 33.7 | 23 |
| Jun | 6.59 | 7.15 | 3.81 | 3.13 | 36.9 | 26 |
| Jul | 5.83 | 6.54 | 2.73 | 3.15 | 36.4 | 41 |
| Aug | 5.62 | 6.28 | 3.06 | 2.89 | 34.8 | 45 |
| Sep | 5.36 | 5.73 | 3.94 | 2.38 | 31.4 | 41 |
| Oct | 4.52 | 4.66 | 3.95 | 1.94 | 26.0 | 30 |
| Nov | 3.41 | 3.60 | 3.50 | 1.52 | 19.4 | 31 |
| Dec | 3.00 | 3.23 | 3.58 | 1.30 | 14.6 | 31 |
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 3.00 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Dera Ismail Khan
Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan has a dry climate with long hours of direct sunshine and low humidity. Its annual peak sun hours average 4.96 kWh/m²/day, a good solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Dera Ismail Khan is May (spring) at 6.83 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is December (winter) at 3 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.
Dera Ismail Khan'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 Dera Ismail Khan?
- Dera Ismail Khan averages 4.96 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 3 in December to 6.83 in May.
- How many solar panels do I need in Dera Ismail Khan?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Dera Ismail Khan's annual average of 4.96 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 Dera Ismail Khan?
- Sizing against Dera Ismail Khan's worst month (December, 3 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 Dera Ismail Khan's solar resource compare globally?
- Dera Ismail Khan sits in solar zone 3 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 4.96 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 often should I clean solar panels in Dera Ismail Khan?
- Arid climates can drop output 10–20% between cleanings. Quarterly cleaning is typical for Dera Ismail Khan; monthly during dust-storm seasons. Dew alone isn't enough when rainfall is infrequent.
- Does extreme heat hurt solar output in Dera Ismail Khan?
- Yes. Panel efficiency drops ~0.4% per °C above 25 °C cell temperature. In Dera Ismail Khan, midday cell temperatures of 55–70 °C can derate output 12–18% below nameplate.
- Is Dera Ismail Khan's solar resource as strong as the numbers suggest?
- Dera Ismail Khan's 4.96 kWh/m²/day is good globally. But heat derating and dust accumulation mean real-world yields typically land 10–15% below this headline figure — factor that into sizing.