The Grandview Heights Planning Commission June 20 approved a site plan review for a project to install solar panels at Arlene's Cuisine, 1026 Dublin Road.

Brad and Arlene Wilkinson told the commission they want to install solar panels to provide energy at their business because of the cost savings they ultimately expect to see and the positive environmental impact of solar energy.

Dovetail Solar and Wind, an Athens-based company with offices located throughout the state, will complete the project.

The company has provided its services to businesses, residents, municipalities and schools, said David Cohen, a Dovetail regional manager.

Dovetail recently installed solar panels for the city of Powell on a new carport for police vehicles and at a picnic shelter at a park, Cohen said.

The project for Arlene's will put 72 U.S.-made, 240-watt panels on the building's roof, he said.

Together, the panels will provide about 17,250 watts of power, Cohen said.

"They will knock out about 40 percent of (Arlene's Cuisine's) electric bill," he said.

The project's panels will generate a little more than 27,000 kilowatt hours a year, Cohen said.

It will take about five years for the project to pay for itself through cost savings, he said.

Solar panels provide numerous environmental benefits, including reducing carbon dioxide -- one of the primary greenhouse gases -- and other materials that cause smog and acid rain, Cohen said.

The panels that will be installed at Arlene's will not give off much glare because they are designed to absorb the sun and will be tilted upward, he said.

A structural engineer will review the building, but the panels are expected to add only about three pounds of weight per square foot to the roof, Cohen said.

The panels are made to withstand golf ball-sized hail and winds of up to 90 mph, he said.

Arlene's Cuisine is a catering business that provides meals and fresh fruits and vegetables to community schools throughout Ohio.