In February, lawmakers voiced concerns about potential invasiveness of the algae. In March, they passed an energy bill (HB 7117) providing tax incentives for renewable energy companies that placed new regulations on Algenol.  That bill became law last week without Gov. Rick Scott’s signature.

The measure places Algenol under the regulatory authority of the Florida Department of Agriculture.

Algenol CEO Paul Woods says he’s worked out a framework with Department of Agriculture officials to move forward with construction on a 30-acre site in south Lee County and to stream-line regulatory oversight.

 “I think we really have a workable solution,” said Woods. “Because Algenol for a long time has done non-invasive studies to show and to prove that the Algenol algae are completely harmless, completely safe. They’re non-toxic, they’re not a plant pest and they’re definitely non-invasive. And so what we did agree to do was to continue those studies.”

Woods says construction on the expansion should be finished by 2013 with the goal of producing 100,000 gallons of ethanol a year.

The company aims to produce more than 20 billion gallons of ethanol by 2025 with each new commercial facility in various locations creating more than 2,000 jobs.