As of early 2025, nearly 5 million households (specifically, 4. homes, and the number is expected to climb to 15% by 2030 — about twofold within the next five years. 7 million) have solar panels installed on their rooftops, according to a SolarReviews report. Clearly, the. The US solar industry installed 11. 7 gigawatts direct current (GWdc) of capacity in Q3 2025, a 20% increase from Q3 2024, a 49% increase from Q2 2025, and the third largest quarter for deployment in the industry's history. Following a low second quarter, the industry is ramping up as the end of. Modern solar energy development in the United States dates back to 1954 when scientists at Bell Laboratories patented the first silicon solar cell.