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Solar data for Ethiopia

Across the 233 places in Ethiopia the best fixed tilt for solar panels runs from 7° in Kahandhale to 17° in Inda Silasē, and flat ground gets 5.1 to 6.6 peak sun hours a day. Every number is computed for each place.

Solar power in Ethiopia at a glance

Averages over 233 places with climate data, for a fixed array facing south.

Best panel angle13°average, facing south
Peak sun hours5.95a day on flat ground
1 kWp makes1,799kWh a year at the best angle
Off-grid angle0°average, for the darkest month
Addis AbabaHartīshēk (most sun)
  • 5.08–5.37
  • 5.37–5.67
  • 5.67–5.96
  • 5.96–6.26
  • 6.26–6.56

Peak sun hours a day on flat ground. Each dot is one place.

The sunniest place in Ethiopia is Hartīshēk (Somali) with 6.56 peak sun hours a day on flat ground; the least sunny is Tēpī with 5.08. A 1 kWp array at its best angle makes from 1,531 kWh a year in Tēpī to 1,966 kWh in Hartīshēk — 1,799 kWh on average.

The best year-round tilt runs from 7° in Kahandhale to 17° in Inda Silasē. Off-grid systems are sized for the darkest month and do better steeper, at 0° on average: at 70° that month brings 1.06 kWh per kWp a day in Kahandhale and 1.63 kWh in Arerti.

Size an off-grid system or open any place below for its sun path, monthly table and tilt curve.

Sunniest places in Ethiopia

Ranked by peak sun hours on flat ground: the yearly average of a day's sunshine energy (NASA POWER climatology). Output: 1 kWp at its best year-round angle.

RankPlaceRegionSun hours/daykWh per kWp a yearBest tilt
1HartīshēkSomali6.561,96611°
2GedebSomali6.531,96311°
3Degeh BurSomali6.451,91811°
4JijigaSomali6.431,93811°
4QorofSomali6.431,8678°
6ĀrabīSomali6.421,91912°
7WaalSomali6.411,8669°
7YamarugleySomali6.411,8669°
7GolwaynSomali6.411,8638°
7Digih Habar EsSomali6.411,8638°

Least sunny places in Ethiopia

RankPlaceRegionSun hours/daykWh per kWp a yearBest tilt
229GambēlaGambela5.271,56411°
230WachaSouth West Ethiopia Peoples' Region5.181,56210°
231KomtikasSouth West Ethiopia Peoples' Region5.151,54610°
232Mīzan TeferīSouth West Ethiopia Peoples' Region5.141,54710°
233TēpīSouth West Ethiopia Peoples' Region5.081,53110°

Solar by region in Ethiopia

Averages of the places in each region, sunniest first. Darkest month: what 1 kWp of off-grid panels at 70° makes a day in the worst month of the year.

RegionPlacesSun hours/daykWh per kWp a yearBest tiltDarkest month at 70°Sunniest place
Somali206.401,8819°1.13 kWhHartīshēk
Dire Dawa16.361,90912°1.23 kWhDire Dawa
Harari16.341,90711°1.22 kWhHarar
Tigray186.131,86716°1.57 kWhAbala
Āfar96.131,81813°1.47 kWhAsaita
Amhara556.031,84015°1.43 kWhĀbderafī
Addis Ababa15.991,83813°1.31 kWhAddis Ababa
Oromiya765.891,78712°1.26 kWhFunyan Bīra
Ethiopia25.861,78115°1.37 kWhChagni
Central Ethiopia Regional State135.821,76812°1.27 kWhInsēno
Sidama Region55.701,73011°1.23 kWhAwasa
Bīnshangul Gumuz45.701,71315°1.32 kWhMambuk
South Ethiopia Regional State205.661,70011°1.24 kWhDimtu
South West Ethiopia Peoples' Region75.291,59510°1.27 kWhTarch’a Sodo
Gambela15.271,56411°1.21 kWhGambēla

Largest places in Ethiopia at a glance

PlaceLatitudeBest tiltOff-grid tiltSun hours/day (flat)
Addis Ababa9.0° N13°0°5.99
Jijiga9.4° N11°0°6.43
Gonder12.6° N16°0°6.09
Mek'ele13.5° N16°0°6.10
Nazrēt8.6° N12°0°6.10
Warder7.0° N9°0°6.38
Awasa7.1° N11°0°5.81
Bahir Dar11.6° N15°0°6.08
Dire Dawa9.6° N12°0°6.36
Dessie11.1° N14°0°6.00
Jimma7.7° N11°0°5.51
Shashamane7.2° N11°0°5.85
Bishoftu8.8° N12°0°6.03
Sodo6.9° N11°0°5.71
Arba Minch6.0° N10°0°5.65
Hosa’ina7.5° N12°0°5.80
Dīla6.4° N11°0°5.60
Harar9.3° N11°0°6.34
Nek’emtē9.1° N13°0°5.74
Ārabī10.0° N12°1°6.42

Daylight and clock time in Ethiopia

In Sheraro (14.4° N), the northernmost place, the longest day of the year lasts 12 h 59 min and the shortest 11 h 17 min; in Yabēlo (4.9° N), the southernmost, 12 h 24 min and 11 h 51 min. Ethiopia does not use daylight saving time: the clocks stay the same all year.

Time zonePlacesUTC offsetClocks change in 2026
Africa/Addis_Ababa233UTC+3no daylight saving time

Questions about solar in Ethiopia

What is the best angle for solar panels in Ethiopia?
Facing south, between 7° and 17° depending on the place — 13° on average over 233 places. Off-grid systems that must get through the darkest month do better steeper, at about 0° on average.
How many peak sun hours does Ethiopia get?
From 5.1 hours a day in Tēpī to 6.6 in Hartīshēk on flat ground, averaged over the year; 5.9 on average.
How much electricity does 1 kWp of solar panels produce in Ethiopia?
About 1,799 kWh a year at the best fixed angle on average, from 1,531 kWh in Tēpī to 1,966 kWh in Hartīshēk. These are long-term climate averages; a single year can be several per cent higher or lower.
Where is the sunniest place in Ethiopia?
Hartīshēk (Somali) gets the most sun of the 233 places: 6.56 peak sun hours a day on flat ground, so 1 kWp there makes about 1,966 kWh a year.
Does Ethiopia use daylight saving time?
Ethiopia does not use daylight saving time: the clocks stay the same all year.
How long is the longest day in Ethiopia?
12 h 59 min in Sheraro; the shortest day lasts 11 h 17 min in Sheraro.

All places in Ethiopia

Ethiopia

Addis Ababa

Bīnshangul Gumuz

Dire Dawa

Gambela

Harari