Peak Sun Hours in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
- Solar zone
- Zone 4 (excellent)
- Best month
- June (8.1)
- Worst month
- December (2.8)
- Climate
- Temperate · 13.7°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.21 | 3.88 | 5.79 | 0.96 | 1.6 | 55 |
| Feb | 4.14 | 5.07 | 6.03 | 1.37 | 3.9 | 49 |
| Mar | 5.58 | 6.60 | 7.12 | 1.66 | 8.7 | 41 |
| Apr | 6.81 | 7.99 | 7.79 | 1.95 | 13.1 | 34 |
| May | 7.67 | 8.82 | 8.52 | 2.02 | 18.4 | 30 |
| Jun | 8.10 | 9.01 | 9.15 | 1.82 | 25.0 | 26 |
| Jul | 7.21 | 8.51 | 7.18 | 2.14 | 26.2 | 40 |
| Aug | 6.64 | 7.76 | 7.13 | 1.91 | 24.7 | 44 |
| Sep | 5.82 | 6.67 | 7.45 | 1.41 | 20.6 | 44 |
| Oct | 4.72 | 5.35 | 7.36 | 1.06 | 13.7 | 44 |
| Nov | 3.53 | 4.10 | 6.35 | 0.92 | 6.7 | 48 |
| Dec | 2.83 | 3.49 | 5.35 | 0.89 | 1.6 | 55 |
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 2.83 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Albuquerque
Albuquerque, United States has a temperate climate with meaningful seasonal variation in solar resource. Its annual peak sun hours average 5.52 kWh/m²/day, a excellent solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Albuquerque is June (summer) at 8.1 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is December (winter) at 2.83 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.
Albuquerque'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 Albuquerque?
- Albuquerque averages 5.52 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 2.83 in December to 8.1 in June.
- How many solar panels do I need in Albuquerque?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Albuquerque's annual average of 5.52 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 Albuquerque?
- Sizing against Albuquerque's worst month (December, 2.83 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 Albuquerque's solar resource compare globally?
- Albuquerque sits in solar zone 4 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 5.52 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 Albuquerque?
- Albuquerque's worst month (December) delivers 2.83 kWh/m²/day — about 35% of the summer peak of 8.1. Off-grid systems here typically oversize 1.5–2× or pair with a backup source.
- Do cloudy days significantly affect Albuquerque's solar?
- Partly. Diffuse light still produces 10–25% of clear-sky output. Albuquerque's 5.52 kWh/m²/day already reflects average cloudiness, so no further derating is needed for sizing.
- What panel tilt works best in Albuquerque?
- At Albuquerque's latitude (35°), a fixed tilt near 35° balances year-round yield. Winter-heavy loads favor latitude + 15°; summer-heavy, latitude − 15°.