Using detailed PLEXOS-based capacity expansion and dispatch modeling through FY 2032, the study finds that scaling demand-side resources can deliver significant benefits. Doubling appliance efficiency improvement rates could reduce annual electricity demand by more than 200 TWh by FY 2032, avoiding ~150 TWh of thermal generation and ~150 MT of CO₂ emissions. Load shifting of agricultural pumping and select industrial loads to solar hours can unlock ~50 GW of additional renewable integration, while appliance-based demand response can cut storage requirements by ~20 GW, saving $15–19 billion in capital investments. Together, these measures could avoid ~$40 billion in new supply-side investments, reduce annual power procurement costs by ₹120,000 Cr, and raise the clean energy share in generation to ~66% by 2032—up from 55% in a no-flexibility scenario.

Overall, the analysis demonstrates that demand-side resources can substantially lower costs, reduce reliance on expensive thermal generation, and enhance renewable energy integration without compromising energy services, or grid stability. These findings highlight the central role of demand-side measures in powering India’s clean and affordable energy future