A large industrial area stands under cloudy skies.

The Physico-Technical Institute of the "Physics-Sun" Research and Production Association of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, founded in 1943, is a leading research center specializing in renewable energy and materials science. In 1987, the institute launched a unique optical-mirror complex with a Large Solar Furnace, generating 1000 kW of thermal power. The facility remains operational, supporting research on high-temperature processes and advanced materials. This complex is one of only two of its kind in the world, alongside a similar facility in France.