{"id":92201,"date":"2026-11-04T23:58:10","date_gmt":"2026-11-04T22:58:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/energyear.com\/es\/?p=92201"},"modified":"2026-11-05T00:10:13","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T23:10:13","slug":"opex-gastos-operativos-proyecto-energia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/energyear.com\/en\/diccionario-energetico\/opex-gastos-operativos-proyecto-energia\/","title":{"rendered":"OPEX: what it is, what it includes and how it affects an energy project"},"content":{"rendered":"
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OPEX: what it is, what it includes and how it affects an energy project<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The OPEX<\/strong>, short for Operating Expenditure<\/em> or operating expenditure<\/strong>, represents the recurring costs required to keep an asset, facility or company running. In the energy sector, it includes everything from operation and maintenance to insurance, leases, security, consumables, asset management, communications and certain technical services.<\/p>

The distinction from CAPEX<\/strong><\/a> <\/span><\/span>is fundamental: CAPEX finances the construction, acquisition or improvement of long-lived assets, while OPEX arises during their operation and affects the project's cash flows year after year.<\/p>

In renewables, low OPEX is one reason why technologies such as solar PV and wind can be competitive: they consume no fuel during generation. However, 'low' does not mean irrelevant. At a plant with a service life of 25 or 30 years, small annual differences in maintenance, insurance, rents or asset management can add up to a very significant economic impact.<\/p>

When analysing the profitability of an energy project, it is therefore not enough to know how much it costs to build. It is also necessary to know how much it will cost to operate each year and which parts of that OPEX may grow, vary with output or increase as the asset ages.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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What is OPEX and how does it work in an energy project?<\/h2>

OPEX comprises the expenditure needed for an asset to continue operating once it has entered service. It is normally recognised as an expense in the period in which it is incurred, unlike certain CAPEX outlays that are included in an asset's carrying amount when they meet the applicable accounting criteria. At an energy plant, OPEX starts practically from the commercial operation date. From that point, costs arise for contracts covering O&M<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/span>, insurance, rents, communications, monitoring, levies, staff, auxiliary services and other recurring items. A simple way to view it is:<\/p>

Annual OPEX = fixed operating costs + variable operating costs + other recurring expenses<\/strong><\/p>

The precise boundary between OPEX and CAPEX depends on the nature of the expenditure. A routine inspection is usually OPEX; replacing a significant component that meets capitalisation criteria may be treated as CAPEX. The IFRS Foundation's IAS 16<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/span> specifically distinguishes between day-to-day servicing, normally recognised as an expense, and certain replacements or major inspections that may form part of the asset's carrying amount.<\/p>

What does OPEX include at a renewable energy plant?<\/h2>

There is no single universal list, as it depends on each project's technology, country, contracts and scope. However, energy-sector OPEX typically falls into several cost categories:<\/p>