Brooklyn-based startup itselectric earned the 2023 SXSW Innovation Award for Urban Infrastructure last week for its “Power From the People” curbside electric vehicle charging concept. The company aims to make curbside charging posts available to cities and property owners at no cost, with the company managing installation and maintenance of the level 2, 240-volt chargers. Residential property owners will have the opportunity to earn passive income from the chargers, with the amount varying based on electricity rates and charger use, it says…

It uses a “behind-the-meter” connection that obviates the need to work directly with electric utilities, it says. Almost any structure that has a curb and an electrical meter, including single-family and multifamily homes and commercial or public buildings, could be candidates for installation, it notes. It works with each city to ensure that “necessary permits and permissions are in place.”