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. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.