Abstract: Solar energy absorptive coatings that comprise single cermet layers with a homogeneous metal volume fraction exhibit an absorptance of about 0.8, which is not high enough for practical solar applications. To achieve absorptance greater than 0.9, graded composite films have been developed, but they give rise to higher thermal emittance due to the absorption edge not being sharp enough. This leads to increased thermal emittance at high operating temperatures, in the range of 300.degree. C. to 500.degree. C. There is now disclosed a novel solar selective surface coating which is composed of two cermet layers, with different metal volume fractions in each layer. The two cermet layers have different thicknesses, and the layers have thicknesses and volume fractions such that solar radiation is absorbed by internal absorbing and phase cancellation interference, but the cermet layers are substantially transparent in the thermal infrared region.