PVGIS · SolarMapped
Solar potential in South Africa
These figures are the unweighted mean of the city locations listed below, not a national average. Two urban points do not represent an entire country, its roofs or its solar installations.
Explore on the solar map ↗Sampled-city benchmark
PV output is estimated electricity from 1 kWp of installed solar panels. Irradiation is sunlight energy received per square meter on the optimally tilted panel plane; it is not electricity.
For a 5 kWp system, multiply the electricity values by five. This simple scaling does not account for roof-specific shading or equipment constraints.
Range across these cities: 1,726–1,740kWh/kWp/year. Panel tilt and direction are location-specific; see each city.
Monthly solar irradiation and PV output
Highest-output month: October · 160.2kWh/kWp/month. Lowest-output month: June · 119.3kWh/kWp/month.
The chart and table use the mean of the listed cities for each month.
| Month | Estimated PV output (kWh/kWp/month) | Solar irradiation (kWh/m²/month) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 157 | 204.6 |
| February | 144.8 | 188.5 |
| March | 150.8 | 193.9 |
| April | 136 | 171.9 |
| May | 128.9 | 161.2 |
| June | 119.3 | 146.9 |
| July | 132.7 | 163.3 |
| August | 142 | 177.2 |
| September | 150.1 | 190.7 |
| October | 160.2 | 205.8 |
| November | 153.6 | 198.3 |
| December | 157.9 | 204.9 |
Compare cities
Data and methodology
PVGIS 5.3 (European Commission Joint Research Centre), crystalline silicon, fixed free-standing installation, 1 kWp, 14% system losses, equator-facing panels with optimized tilt and the terrain horizon. Long-term climate estimates are not a forecast or a roof survey. Nearby buildings, trees, roof constraints, snow and local conditions can change actual output.
- Johannesburg — Reference coordinates: -26.2, 28.04; Climate dataset / years: PVGIS-SARAH3 / 2005–2023; Data retrieved: .
- Cape Town — Reference coordinates: -33.92, 18.42; Climate dataset / years: PVGIS-SARAH3 / 2005–2023; Data retrieved: .
PVGIS methodology · Sources and assumptions (English) · Download the underlying data (JSON)