March 14, 2012. The U.S. solar industry installed a record number of panels in 2011, more than double 2010, and is likely to see strong growth again this year. Solar installers built 1,855 megawatts of photovoltaic projects in 2011 for a total of $8.4 billion, up from 887 MW in 2010. The growth in U.S. demand comes as the makers of the panels that turn light into electricity have struggled to earn profits amid a glut of supplies on the global market that eroded margins.