Peak Sun Hours in Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
- Solar zone
- Zone 3 (good)
- Best month
- July (6.5)
- Worst month
- January (1.8)
- Climate
- Polar · -0.3°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1.77 | 3.99 | 2.07 | 1.00 | -13.6 | 69 |
| Feb | 2.09 | 5.15 | 1.75 | 1.28 | -11.5 | 75 |
| Mar | 3.20 | 6.66 | 2.32 | 1.95 | -6.5 | 69 |
| Apr | 4.48 | 8.01 | 3.19 | 2.60 | -0.2 | 59 |
| May | 5.72 | 8.87 | 4.23 | 3.18 | 4.1 | 53 |
| Jun | 6.33 | 9.10 | 4.74 | 3.28 | 8.4 | 46 |
| Jul | 6.52 | 8.78 | 5.03 | 3.02 | 12.1 | 45 |
| Aug | 5.96 | 8.02 | 4.69 | 2.76 | 11.9 | 47 |
| Sep | 5.11 | 6.97 | 4.82 | 2.25 | 7.2 | 45 |
| Oct | 4.03 | 5.57 | 4.68 | 1.73 | 1.0 | 42 |
| Nov | 2.71 | 4.23 | 3.39 | 1.35 | -5.4 | 50 |
| Dec | 1.87 | 3.60 | 2.33 | 1.04 | -10.8 | 60 |
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 1.77 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Skardu
Skardu, Pakistan sits at high latitude — summer days are long, winters are dark, and solar output swings hard by season. Its annual peak sun hours average 4.15 kWh/m²/day, a good solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Skardu is July (summer) at 6.52 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is January (winter) at 1.77 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.
Skardu'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 Skardu?
- Skardu averages 4.15 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 1.77 in January to 6.52 in July.
- How many solar panels do I need in Skardu?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Skardu's annual average of 4.15 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 Skardu?
- Sizing against Skardu's worst month (January, 1.77 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 Skardu's solar resource compare globally?
- Skardu sits in solar zone 3 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 4.15 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.
- Can solar work year-round in Skardu?
- Not alone. Skardu's worst month (January) delivers just 1.77 kWh/m²/day — near zero during polar night. Solar handles summer easily (6.52 in July) but winter needs wind, hydro, generator, or grid.
- How do you design solar for Skardu's long winter?
- Don't try to cover winter with solar — size for summer surplus and pair with another source. Battery banks can't bridge months of near-zero output; realistic polar hybrids combine July solar peak with wind or diesel.
- How does Skardu's summer peak compare to global averages?
- Skardu's summer month of July delivers 6.52 kWh/m²/day — surprisingly strong because long daylight hours stack up. Summer output can rival mid-latitude cities, then collapses by January.