Peak Sun Hours in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
- Solar zone
- Zone 3 (good)
- Best month
- June (6.5)
- Worst month
- December (2.3)
- Climate
- Temperate · 16.1°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.64 | 3.54 | 4.16 | 0.97 | 4.4 | 80 |
| Feb | 3.29 | 4.59 | 4.20 | 1.26 | 6.3 | 80 |
| Mar | 4.36 | 5.94 | 4.60 | 1.67 | 10.6 | 78 |
| Apr | 5.53 | 7.16 | 5.16 | 2.08 | 16.0 | 75 |
| May | 6.03 | 7.79 | 4.90 | 2.43 | 20.8 | 73 |
| Jun | 6.46 | 7.93 | 5.04 | 2.58 | 25.3 | 70 |
| Jul | 6.11 | 7.60 | 4.43 | 2.67 | 27.1 | 69 |
| Aug | 5.51 | 6.92 | 4.19 | 2.42 | 26.4 | 71 |
| Sep | 4.71 | 6.03 | 4.48 | 1.87 | 22.8 | 72 |
| Oct | 3.77 | 4.88 | 4.96 | 1.20 | 16.6 | 74 |
| Nov | 2.93 | 3.75 | 4.61 | 0.96 | 10.3 | 75 |
| Dec | 2.29 | 3.16 | 3.75 | 0.87 | 6.5 | 80 |
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 2.29 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Charlotte
Charlotte, United States has a temperate climate with meaningful seasonal variation in solar resource. Its annual peak sun hours average 4.47 kWh/m²/day, a good solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Charlotte is June (summer) at 6.46 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is December (winter) at 2.29 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.
Charlotte'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 Charlotte?
- Charlotte averages 4.47 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 2.29 in December to 6.46 in June.
- How many solar panels do I need in Charlotte?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Charlotte's annual average of 4.47 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 Charlotte?
- Sizing against Charlotte's worst month (December, 2.29 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 Charlotte's solar resource compare globally?
- Charlotte sits in solar zone 3 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 4.47 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 Charlotte?
- Charlotte's worst month (December) delivers 2.29 kWh/m²/day — about 35% of the summer peak of 6.46. Off-grid systems here typically oversize 1.5–2× or pair with a backup source.
- Do cloudy days significantly affect Charlotte's solar?
- Partly. Diffuse light still produces 10–25% of clear-sky output. Charlotte's 4.47 kWh/m²/day already reflects average cloudiness, so no further derating is needed for sizing.
- What panel tilt works best in Charlotte?
- At Charlotte's latitude (35°), a fixed tilt near 35° balances year-round yield. Winter-heavy loads favor latitude + 15°; summer-heavy, latitude − 15°.