A view of heliostats used in a solar thermal power tower station in Yanqing County, Beijing, Aug 25, 2010.

With an investment of 120 million yuan (US$17 million), the 1MW station runs on the theory of "light–heat–electricity," which turns sunlight into heat and then generates electricity, is expected to start operation by the end of 2010.

The annual electricity will reach 2.7 million kWh, and it reduces emissions of 2,300 tons of carbon dioxide, 21 tons of sulfur dioxide, and 35 tons of nitrogen oxide when compared with a coal fired power station.