Patent ID: 7950181

Claim:
A method for illuminating a fluid cultivation medium containing an algae, comprising: concentrating a stream of light; transmitting the stream of light to an edge of an edge-lit sheet, the edge-lit sheet having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and reflector particles embedded within the sheet between the first surface and the second surface; transmitting the stream of light through the edge and into the edge-lit sheet within toward the embedded reflector particles so that the stream of sunlight is reflected by the embedded reflector particles; radiating the stream of light reflected by the embedded reflector particles through either the first surface or the second surface of the edge-lit sheet illuminator, wherein the surface through which the reflected light is radiated is in contact with the fluid cultivation medium; and illuminating the fluid cultivation medium containing the algae with the stream of light that is reflected by the embedded reflector particles and radiated through the first surface or the second surface.