Today's solar street LED lights are able to provide reliable, quality lighting both in developing and developed countries, thereby reducing light poverty and the economic and environmental costs of electric outdoor lighting. Rapid technical innovation and dramatic price reduction in the LED, PV module, and battery components, which has occurred in the last 5 years, will accelerate the penetration of solar street LED lights across the world. Applications will not be limited to countries with significant insolation only but will extend to Northern regions as well. This study provides a critical overview of a technology that will play an important role en route to global sustainability. WIREs Energy Environ 2017, 6:e218. doi: 10.1002/wene.218This article is categorized under: Photovoltaics > Systems and Infrastructure Solar Heating and Cooling > Economics and Policy Solar Heating and Cooling > Systems and Infrastructure