Sure there are solar powered street lamps in some cities, but they don't hold a candle to the new Sharp LN-LW3A1 and LN-LS2A1 solar street lamps currently deployed in Japan.

The lights can generate 1,800 lumens of light, and unlike traditional streetlights, they feature more directional lighting to keep light pollution to a minimum. That's good for a high-tech country like Japan, which is already flooded with light. The lights also have a built-in earthquake detector; should a quake greater than 5 on the Richter Scale occur, the lights will kick in and run for 48 hours — providing the earthquake doesn't get them first. — Stephen Schleicher

Akihabara News, via Übergizmo