An industry study by the India Energy Storage Alliance finds that the commercial and industrial energy storage market in India is poised to expand from less than one GWh in 2025 to about 2,231 GWh by 2032, driven by rising electricity tariffs and rapid renewable adoption. The report projects this exponential increase as the outcome of combined market, technological and policy factors that make energy storage more attractive for businesses.

The analysis attributes growth to higher electricity tariffs, the need for reliable high-quality power, cost-optimisation imperatives and national decarbonisation targets, and it emphasises demand for energy resilience and optimisation among commercial users. It outlines two scenarios: a Business-as-Usual path in which energy storage systems reach 22-23 GWh by 2032, and a Rapid Adoption trajectory that could lift deployments to 31 GWh.

Scenario assumptions include five to six per cent annual C&I load growth and a 15 per cent compound annual growth rate for renewable energy under Business-as-Usual, while the Rapid Adoption case assumes an 18 per cent renewable CAGR reflecting supportive policy and falling battery costs. These assumptions underpin financial models and site-level decisions for photovoltaic pairing, peak shaving and backup replacement.

The study surveys a wide technology landscape from conventional lead acid and advanced lead acid to lithium-ion chemistries, vanadium redox flow batteries and pumped hydro, though its detailed technology focus is on lithium iron phosphate, nickel manganese cobalt, vanadium redox flow and sodium-ion systems. It notes an industry shift from backup-centric deployments towards application-driven battery energy storage systems tailored for open access renewable projects, diesel generator replacement and rooftop solar integration.

ISEA prepared the report in collaboration with Customised Energy Solutions and plans to present findings at the India Energy Storage Week in Delhi from July eight to ten, where the event will host over 200 exhibitors and more than 10,000 industry delegates from over 30 countries. The study concludes that regulatory clarity, proven business models and advancing storage technologies will enable commercial consumers to adopt data-driven strategies that deliver cost savings and support decarbonisation objectives.