Patent ID: 8689482

Claim:
A method for producing and harvesting algae in an open body of water comprising: submerging a first substrate comprising a first planar surface and a first thickness; submerging a second substrate comprising a second planar surface and a second thickness; waiting for a period of time during which filamentous algae accumulate on said first planar surface and said second planar surface; and harvesting said filamentous algae from said first planar surface and said second planar surfaces after said period of time; wherein said open body of water has a water surface; wherein the orientation of said first planar surface and said second planar surface is substantially perpendicular to said water surface during said period of time; wherein the width of each of said first planar surface and said second planar surface is greater than 0.5 meters; wherein the surface area of each of said first planar surface and said second planar surface is greater than 0.5 square meters; and wherein said first planar surface has a depth perpendicular to said water surface of greater than 0.5 meters; wherein said first planar surface has a width to depth ratio greater than 0.25; wherein the distance between said first substrate and said second substrate is less than 51 cm; wherein the substrates are configured to yield a packing density of at least 6.3 square meters of total substrate surface area per square meter of water surface.