Solar updraft tower power generation

•We review the solar updraft tower power technology.•We summarize the experimental studies.•We review main important factors of theoretical modelings.•We review the cost studies of commercial plants.•We discuss the characteristics of non-conventional solar updraft tower power technologies.

Solar updraft tower power generation has been demonstrated to be a promising approach for future applications of solar radiation to provide energy. In this paper, the history of the solar updraft tower power plant (SUTPP, also called solar chimney power plant) technology is reviewed, its characteristics are presented, and its principle is described. The experimental studies, main important factors of theoretical modelings, and cost studies, in the past few decades, are reviewed. The characteristics of novel non-conventional SUTPP technologies are discussed as well as environmental effect and power production conditions for the SUTPP technology.