The application of photovoltaic has a multi-faceted impact on the environment, including both positive aspects and some potential negative effects. Here's a breakdown of those effects:

Positive influence
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions: Compared with traditional fossil fuels, photovoltaic power generation can directly convert solar energy into electricity without emitting any greenhouse gases, thus slowing down the global atmospheric greenhouse effect.
Reduce the risk of water pollution: Compared with traditional thermal power generation, photovoltaic power generation does not use a large amount of water, nor does it produce wastewater containing heavy metals, thus reducing the risk of water pollution.
Provide clean energy: photovoltaic power generation, as a renewable energy source, can provide power support for remote areas and areas with insufficient energy supply, helping to alleviate the energy crisis and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Promote sustainable development: The wide application of photovoltaic power generation helps to promote the optimization and upgrading of the energy structure and promote the sustainable development of the economy and society.
Potential negative impact
Land use change: photovoltaic power generation needs to occupy a certain amount of land resources, especially in some densely populated areas with scarce land resources, which may lead to tension of land resources and land use conflicts. In addition, the construction of photovoltaic power stations may change the type of land use, such as converting farmland, grassland, etc. into industrial land, thus affecting the ecological function of the land and the stability of the ecosystem.
Ecosystem destruction: The construction and operation of photovoltaic power plants may destroy the habitat of organisms, such as destroying vegetation, changing land use types, etc., thus affecting the survival and reproduction of organisms. In addition, light pollution such as reflected light and scattered light from photovoltaic panels may also have an impact on human visual health and biological rhythms.
Resource consumption and environmental pollution: The production process of photovoltaic modules will produce a large amount of wastewater, exhaust gas and solid waste, which will cause serious pollution to the environment if not properly handled. At the same time, some aspects of photovoltaic power plants, such as cooling and cleaning of panels, also require the use of a large amount of water resources, which may lead to the consumption and shortage of local water resources.
Panel recycling problems: photovoltaic panels contain some harmful substances, and there is a certain difficulty in recycling. If not properly handled, discarded panels can have a long-term impact on the environment. However, with the advancement of technology, the recycling of panels is also improving.
Economic risks: The photovoltaic industry faces fierce market competition, policy adjustments and other factors, which may bring economic risks to enterprises. In addition, the technology of the photovoltaic industry is rapidly upgraded, and enterprises need to continuously invest in research and development funds to maintain technology leadership.
Mitigation measures
In order to mitigate the negative impact of photovoltaic applications on the environment, the following measures can be taken:

Scientific planning and site selection: In the construction process of photovoltaic power stations, the rational use of land resources and the protection of ecosystems should be fully considered to avoid occupying important ecological areas and farmland. At the same time, the design of the power station should be optimized to reduce the damage to the environment.
Strengthen environmental monitoring and management: establish a sound environmental monitoring and management system for photovoltaic power stations to detect and deal with environmental problems in a timely manner. Pollutants such as waste water, waste gas and solid waste shall be strictly controlled and treated to ensure discharge up to standards.
Promotion of cleaner production technology: In the production process of photovoltaic modules, cleaner production technology should be promoted to reduce the discharge of wastewater, waste residue and exhaust gas. At the same time, improve the efficiency of resource utilization and reduce the waste of resources in the production process.
Strengthen the recycling and utilization of panels: establish a sound recycling and treatment system for panels to improve the recycling rate. Harmless treatment of waste panels to reduce environmental pollution.
Policy support and guidance: The government should strengthen policy support and guidance for the photovoltaic industry, and formulate strict environmental regulations and standards. At the same time, enterprises are encouraged to increase investment in environmental protection and technological innovation to promote the green development of the photovoltaic industry.
In summary, the application of photovoltaic has both positive and potential negative effects on the environment. In order to give full play to the advantages of photovoltaic technology and reduce its negative impact on the environment, the government, enterprises and scientific research institutions need to work together to take scientific planning and location, strengthen environmental monitoring and management, promote clean production technology, strengthen panel recycling and policy support and guidance and other measures.