India's behind-the-meter (BTM) stationary storage market is projected to reach 39 GWh by 2033, up from roughly 32 GWh annual demand in 2025. The projection appears in a report by the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA), which defines BTM systems as on-site energy generation and storage located on the customer's side of the utility meter. These systems include rooftop solar, battery storage for backup and load shifting, uninterruptible power supplies and inverters, and installations at telecom towers.

Falling costs of lithium-ion batteries and integrated solar-plus-storage are driving adoption among businesses and consumers seeking to manage rising grid tariffs and improve reliability. The report notes that in 2024 the levelised cost of energy from a rooftop solar system with storage hovered around Rs six to seven per kWh, approaching parity with average commercial grid tariffs in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Analysts expect solar-plus-storage to be cost-competitive for many commercial users by 2026, with industrial uptake following.

The report finds that lead acid batteries still held more than 85 per cent of the BTM market in 2025, while lithium-ion technology is gaining share as prices fall and performance improves. In the telecom sector lithium-ion batteries accounted for about 77 per cent of new installations, and the uninterruptible power supply and rooftop solar segments are also recording increased lithium penetration. Industry participants noted that improved economics are making solar-plus-storage an attractive option for commercial and industrial customers.

IESA president Debmalya Sen and analysts characterised the projected growth as indicative of a shift towards greater on-site energy management. The report states that as power reliability improves, drivers of the BTM storage market are moving towards use cases such as tariff arbitrage and peak shaving. Continued technology improvements and cost declines are expected to sustain the market expansion through the next decade.