China’s domestic and overseas heavy oil reserves are rich and huge production. It mainly uses burning natural gas to produce high-temperature steam for thermal recovery development such as steam stimulation and steam flooding. However, the boilers that generate steam have problems such as high fuel costs and high carbon emission intensity. It is of great significance to integrate with solar thermal technology to achieve green and efficient development of heavy oil. Based on the data of literature analysis, industry report, core, analytical test, numerical simulation and economic evaluation model, the current situation of heavy oil thermal recovery and solar thermal technology is systematically analyzed. On the basis of optimizing the heavy oil thermal recovery scheme, through the comparison and selection of all substitution, partial substitution, heating priority and traditional schemes, the applicability of solar thermal technology in low-carbon green development of heavy oil is clarified from the aspects of economic benefit and carbon emission reduction. It is showed that the viscosity of heavy oil can be rapidly reduced and the yield production can be increased by injecting high temperature steam, but the fuel consumed by traditional boilers and their ancillary equipment exceeds 20% of the recovery. The solar thermal technology has the advantages of thermal energy storage, flexible thermal-electricity distribution and low carbon emission. The mechanism of steam generation in the solar thermal project is basically the same as that of the boiler. The back-end technical equipment of the two is the same, which can be seamlessly connected with the thermal recovery of heavy oil. Solar thermal high-temperature steam has cost advantages. By optimizing the multi-well rotation period and daily injection volume, the steam generated by the solar thermal project is maximized used, and the priority is given to heating and excess to electricity generation. It is estimated that it has good economic benefits and carbon emission reduction effects in heavy oil development projects with good solar conditions and large steam demand. With the continuous decline of the application cost of solar thermal technology, the fuel cost and carbon dioxide emission of heavy oil thermal recovery can be reduced by optimizing the installation scale and application mode of solar thermal projects in oilfield areas with abundant solar energy resources, and the value of heavy oil assets can be greatly improved.