TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - CHEMICAL ENGINEERING - Preferred Module: In the PV-module, the collapsible portion comprises relatively stiff sections that are hinged together in a longitudinal direction by relatively flexible sections allowing the relatively stiff sections to be folded onto each other about a folding line oriented transverse to the longitudinal direction. The collapsible portion also comprises the bottom portion. The module is configured for generating an electric power output of at least 1 kW. The PV-module in its deployed state is at least 30 m long and less than about 2 m wide. The protective layer is made of a flexible material, which upon installation is distended above the support panel by inflation and/or mechanical distension unit so as to form a hollow space between the support panel and the protective top layer. The hollow space is filled with a protective atmosphere, where the protective atmosphere is controlled at least with respect to one or more parameters selected from a group of control parameters including composition, pressure, humidity, flow rate, re-circulation rate, re-circulation fraction, and temperature. The bottom portion is configured to maintain the support panel at a predetermined angle alpha with the horizontal, so as to orient the PV-cells towards a principal direction of incidence of light. The bottom portion further comprises unit for adjusting the tilt angle alpha . The adjustment unit includes pneumatic actuation unit. The PV-cells are coated with an antireflection coating and/or where reflective surfaces, collimating optics and/or focusing optics are provided in the vicinity of the PV-cells for directing sunlight onto the PV-cells. The infrastructure units are provided for collecting, transferring and/or conditioning the electricity generated by the PV-cells for output to an output interface of the PV-module. The PV-module is covered by a separate sacrificial transparent protection sheet. Preferred Method: In installing the elongated PV-module at the deployment site, the collapsible portion comprises the bottom portion attached to the rear side of the support panel such that the PV module is installed by expanding the collapsible portion directly onto the support surface, and filling the ballasting material into the one or more ballast chambers. The PV-module is installed by laying out the bottom portion on the support surface, loading the one or more ballast chambers, and expanding and attaching the collapsible top portion onto the bottom portion. The method further comprises distending the protective layer above the support panel so as to form a hollow space between the protective layer and the PV-cells; and maintaining a protective atmosphere within the hollow space, where the protective atmosphere is controlled at least with respect to one or more parameters selected from a group of control parameters including composition, pressure, humidity, flow rate, re-circulation rate, recirculation fraction, and temperature.