Dive Brief:

• Abengoa SA has struck a deal to acquire BrightSource Energy's ownership stake in the Palen Solar Energy Generating Station, and will become sole developer of the project.
• The company said it intends to change the proposal to utilize its molten salt tower proprietary technology, incorporating large thermal energy storage capacity.
• The changes are a result of "reassessing the needs of the California energy market," the company said, and the addition of storage is aimed at meeting the preferences of state regulators.

Dive Insight:

Following a recommendation by the California Energy Commission to approve one solar tower instead of two at the Palen facility, Abengoa will now be the project's sole developer. Terms of the deal under which it bought out BrightSource Energy were not discussed.

Among the changes, Abengoa will now incorporate a large storage system designed to better meet the needs of the energy market in California. The project will continue to use tower technology, but the company said it will propose its molten salt tower proprietary technology, incorporating large thermal energy storage capacity. 

"Abengoa will pursue a different configuration from that which was originally submitted, incorporating storage, which was addressed as a need for a second tower," the company said in a statement. "This change addresses the clear signals from the California Public Utilities Commission, California ISO and CEC that storage is an important part of the energy market in California."