The top executive at Stirling Energy Systems, a concentrated solar power system developer, has stepped down and the interim leader is the chief operations officer at Tessera Solar, according to published reports.

Steve Cowman's departure comes as it works on restructuring business toward demands required by a project in California. Marcelo Figueira will serve while the company searches for a new chief executive officer. Stirling's device is the SunCatcher, a dish that focuses light into a Stirling engine.

Both Houston-based Tessera and Scottsdale, Arizona-based Stirling are beneath the umbrella of NTR Plc, an Ireland-based company that works on energy development projects. Tessera is developing Stirling projects and won approval for a 709-meagawatt solar project in the Imperial Valley of California.

That project is seeking financing and will get off the ground once equity partners step forward. Tessera is assembling plans to put together plans to begin working on that project.

Approval for the Imperial Valley project was granted by the Bureau of Land Management as the site in point is public lands.