Tempe Microgrids Masterplan
Future-Forward Energy Strategy
The City of Tempe Microgrids Masterplan: Resilient Energy Hubs Report responds to one of the most urgent challenges facing desert cities: extreme heat intensified by energy vulnerability. RSP, in close collaboration with the City of Tempe, Quest Energy Group, and Solar Island Energy, developed the plan which evaluates 27 city-owned and community-serving facilities for their potential to operate as resilient energy hubs during heat events and grid outages.
The selected sites, including community centers, faith-based organizations, police stations, and fire stations, already function as trusted civic anchors. With targeted upgrades such as solar photovoltaics, battery storage readiness, high-performance building improvements, and backup generation, these facilities provide shade, cooling, and power when it is needed most. The strategy prioritizes locations near public transportation and within vulnerable neighborhoods, integrating heat mitigation directly into the urban fabric while reducing operational loads and supporting continuity of critical services.
Grounded in public engagement and equity, the Masterplan focuses on facilities that already serve at-risk populations, including existing cooling centers and community support hubs. Designed as both a technical framework and a public-facing tool, the report offers a replicable roadmap for other cities confronting rising temperatures and grid instability. By investing in trusted places and measuring impact through performance-based planning, the Tempe Microgrids plan is strengthening climate resilience and protecting public health in an increasingly extreme climate.
