Toward versatile applications via tuning transition wavelength of the WTa-SiO2 based spectrally selective absorber

•Various of WTa-SiO2 cermet based quasi-optical microcavity absorbers with different transition wavelength have been prepared to meet the requirements of versatile applications under different conditions.•Those WTa-SiO2 cermet based absorbers demonstrate an excellent solar absorptance of above 0.95 and photothermal efficiency of above 91% at 82 °C with 1 sun as well as the superior thermal stability at 600 °C in vacuum.•The formation of tantalum oxide in WTa-SiO2 cermet in the annealing process would insure the high thermal stability at high temperature.