Decades of research and innovation appear to be paying off. Global investment in solar energy infrastructure outstripped spending on any other energy generation source, according to a recent UN report.

Australia, the sunburnt country, thankfully appears to be cottoning onto this trend. Our own investment in the technology is rapidly growing with 1,078 megawatts of rooftop generation capacity installed across the country in the past year. Industry analysts predict that this figure could double in 2018.

Aerial imagery purveyors Nearmap have taken the latest Clean Energy Regulator data and determined the Australian postcodes with the most solar uptake since 2001, pairing it with some of their capture imagery in a spectacular homage.

Drag the slider across each image to see a ‘before’ and ‘after’.

1. Bundaberg North, Queensland 4670

   11,756 units installed.

2. Erskine, Western Australia 6210.

   11,409 units installed.

3. Nikenbah, Queensland 4655.

   10,517 units installed.

4. Caloundra, Queensland 4551.

   9,308 units installed.

5. Toowoomba, Queensland 4350.

   8,580 units installed.

6. Hocking, Western Australia 6065.

   8,416 units installed.

7. Pacific Pines, Queensland 4211.

   7,724 units installed.

8. Mackay, Queensland 4740.

   7,295 units installed.

9. Raceview, Queensland 4305.

   7,263 units installed.

10. Canning Vale, Western Australia 6155.

    7,116 units installed.

Congratulations, Queensland! Explore the entire dataset in more detail at the Australian Photovoltaic Institute’s interactive visualisation.