Selective light transmission as a leading innovation for solar swimming pool covers

•Solar heating and algae prevention using a selective transmission swimming pool cover.•Dedicated test pool facility to measure solar efficiencies of swimming pool covers.•Selective transmission pool cover shows enhanced performance over opaque cover.•Energy balance model for swimming pool which includes role of pool cover. An innovative, extrudable material with the ability to filter the sun’s energy has been developed for the mass manufacture of high performance swimming pool covers. Solar radiation in the visible spectrum (