State reforms to triple India's commercial and industrial RE capacity by 2032: Report
New Delhi, July 3
India's commercial and industrial renewable capacity could jump from 32 gigawatts in 2025 to as much as 100 gigawatts by 2032, and energy storage system installations in the segment will leap more than tenfold to about 31 gigawatt‑hours, a report said on Friday.
The report from India Energy Storage Alliance and Customised Energy Solutions attributes the explosive growth to corporate decarbonisation goals, soaring grid tariffs and a rising need for energy resilience, with state‑level regulatory innovation accelerating adoption.
The report will be released at India Energy Storage Week (IESW) 2026 held from July 8-10 at Yashobhoomi (IICC), New Delhi, and will draw over 200 exhibitors and over 10,000 industry leaders, offering the definitive platform for policy discussion, technical exchange, and showcasing innovation across the clean energy value chain.
Senior officials from key ministries, including Heavy Industries, Mines, Power, Electronics, and Environment, will join forces with state representatives and regulatory bodies in open dialogue at IESW 2026.
The event will feature candid discussions on policy bottlenecks, state-level reforms, and industry needs, aiming to deliver actionable solutions for accelerating India's clean energy transition, the release said.
"Our new research shows India's C&I energy storage market is not just growing; it's accelerating toward a new era. With forward-thinking state policies and rising corporate demand, storage is becoming a strategic tool for resilience and decarbonization, not just backup. The momentum we're seeing now will define the sector for the next decade," said Debmalya Sen, President of IESA.
The report highlighted Maharashtra's new renewable energy and storage policy, which mandates storage for every new renewable project above 100 kilowatts. The policy also requires distribution companies to procure 10 per cent of their electricity from storage by FY 2035-36.
Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan are also enabling rapid adoption with cost-reflective banking, settlement policies, and transmission charge waivers.
Industrial facilities are set to remain the largest adopters of storage, accounting for over half of all ESS installations, while data centres and critical infrastructure, such as hospitals, metro and railway stations, and airports, will see the fastest growth.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Big step forward! The fact that data centres, hospitals and railways are adopting storage systems shows we're moving beyond just talk. But the real test will be in execution. Hope the government ensures that rural areas also benefit from this transition instead of just focusing on industrial clusters. We need distributed renewable capacity too.
This is exactly the kind of policy push we needed! 👏 Maharashtra mandating storage for every new renewable project above 100 kW is a bold move. But let's not forget - we need to upskill our workforce for these new technologies. Are the ITIs and polytechnics training people for the solar+storage jobs of the future?
Good to see states taking the lead with transmission charge waivers and cost-reflective banking policies. However, I wish the report also addresssed land acquisition challenges and grid integration issues. Those are the real bottlenecks that could slow down this 100 GW dream. Still, optimistic about the direction.
As someone working in the solar industry, I can confirm the momentum is real. The storage mandate is a smart move - it addresses the intermittency problem that plagues solar power. But here's my concern: will these policies survive changes in state governments? We need consistent, long-term frameworks, not just election-year promises.
Impressive numbers - 100 GW by 2032 and 31 GWh storage! But the elephant in the room is financing. Commercial and industrial consumers will invest only if the cost of storage makes economic sense without subsidies. The tariff trends mentioned in the report need to work in their favour consistently.