Much of the world’s energy still comes from fossil fuels — for now. More people are becoming aware of the damaging effects that relying such energy sources have on the world, particularly for the environment. This has led to a new trend. Overall fossil fuel consumption is on the decline, thanks to recent developments in renewable energy.

Of late, the most notable of these come from the increased use of solar energy, thanks to cheaper solar panels. Then there are companies like Tesla which are hellbent on eliminating fossil fuels altogether. Apart from these, scientists have also been working on other more innovative ways to produce energy — including a floor that generates energy using footsteps, and roads that also work as solar panels.

Now, researchers have developed a device that harnesses energy from heat by capturing infrared (IR) wavelengths, and they detail their work in the journal Optica.  Their device aims to improve thermophotovoltaics, which are solar cells that rely on IR rays (or heat) instead of visible light.