According to the U.S. Department of Energy, new, utility-scale solar projects are being built all around the United States today, with wholesale energy costs ranging from 3.5 cents per kilowatt-hour, to 5 cents or more. These costs are competitive with the direct operating costs of many conventional forms of electricity generation now. The retail sale per kWh by the utility covers its personnel, buildings, equipment, distribution and transmission lines and substations, and maintenance in addition to the energy.