Patent ID: 9570650
Date: 2017-02-14
CPC Classifications: F24S,H01L,H02S,Y02E,Y10T

Claim:
1. An elongate photovoltaic (V) module for use in a solar energy conversion plant for the production of electricity from incident light, the PV-module comprising: a top portion with a support panel carrying on a front side a plurality of electrically connected PV cells, and a transparent protective layer sealed to the support panel so as to encapsulate the PV cells between the support panel and the protective layer, a collapsible portion configured to be collapsible in a longitudinal direction by folding and/or rolling, wherein the collapsible portion includes at least the top portion, one or more integrated ballast chambers in a bottom portion of the PV-module arranged on a rear side of the support panel, wherein said one or more integrated ballast chambers is adapted to receive an amount of a ballasting material with a weight sufficient to immobilize the PV-module on a supporting surface of a deployment site under pre-determined characteristic climate conditions for the deployment site, wherein the transparent protective layer is made of a flexible material, which is adapted to be distended above the support panel by inflation and/or mechanical distension means so as to form a hollow space between the support panel and the transparent protective layer, wherein the hollow space between the support panel and the transparent protective layer is filled with a protective atmosphere, the PV-module further comprising: a sensor means adapted for providing a signal output in response to the one or more parameters selected from a group of control parameters; and a control unit configured to receive the signal output from the sensor means and to control the protective atmosphere in response to the signal output.