Unaudited Quarterly Financial data and Restatement of Previously Issued Unaudited Interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements - Consolidated Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020	Sep. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,312,404,000	$ 448,140,000	$ 152,492,000	$ 74,340,000	$ 139,496,000	$ 43,275,000	$ 19,845,000	$ 39,336,000
Restricted cash	64,041,000	55,704,000	50,634,000	56,804,000	54,813,000	35,720,000	19,400,000	19,297,000
Accounts receivable	43,041,000	113,505,000	45,782,000	24,734,000	25,768,000	24,737,000	26,844,000	32,307,000
Inventory	139,386,000	134,203,000	114,571,000	92,972,000	72,391,000	80,601,000	73,190,000	65,474,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	44,324,000	26,731,000	31,436,000	28,500,000	21,192,000	12,804,000	14,001,000	10,296,000
Total current assets	1,603,196,000	778,283,000	394,915,000	277,350,000	313,660,000	197,137,000	153,280,000	166,710,000
Restricted cash	257,839,000	227,528,000	180,127,000	176,070,000	175,191,000	119,322,000	96,082,000	50,598,000
Property, plant, and equipment, net	74,549,000	64,820,000	60,018,000	16,591,000	14,959,000	14,990,000	14,228,000	13,615,000
Right of use assets related to finance leases, net	5,724,000	2,335,000	2,389,000	1,707,000	1,714,000	1,720,000	1,726,000	1,733,000
Right of use assets related to operating leases, net	117,016,000	90,184,000	71,789,000	64,812,000	63,266,000	47,016,000	39,679,000	33,599,000
Equipment related to power purchase agreements and fuel delivered to customers, net	75,807,000	71,891,000	68,428,000	68,402,000	67,769,000	67,248,000	68,982,000	70,928,000
Goodwill	72,387,000	71,822,000	70,262,000	8,673,000	8,842,000	8,606,000	8,961,000	8,886,000
Intangible assets, net	39,251,000	39,569,000	38,974,000	5,696,000	5,539,000	5,113,000	5,398,000	3,677,000
Other assets	5,513,000	9,661,000	11,817,000	12,059,000	8,573,000	9,152,000	8,842,000	11,069,000
Total assets	2,251,282,000	1,356,093,000	898,719,000	631,360,000	659,513,000	470,304,000	397,178,000	360,815,000
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	50,198,000	58,793,000	39,812,000	35,503,000	40,376,000	36,851,000	36,946,000	31,688,000
Accrued expenses	46,083,000	37,948,000	23,917,000	14,870,000	14,409,000	9,457,000	4,522,000	6,509,000
Deferred revenue	23,275,000	17,226,000	14,902,000	11,557,000	11,691,000	11,480,000	11,730,000	11,736,000
Operating lease liabilities	14,314,000	10,609,000	9,453,000	8,959,000	9,428,000	8,666,000	7,512,000	7,042,000
Finance lease liabilities	903,000	374,000	345,000	204,000	226,000	310,000	266,000	236,000
Finance obligations	32,717,000	31,349,000	28,794,000	26,209,000	24,667,000	20,469,000	12,455,000	11,028,000
Current portion of long-term debt	25,389,000	74,829,000	50,933,000	27,819,000	26,461,000	17,202,000	15,928,000	12,559,000
Other current liabilities	29,487,000	21,083,000	19,418,000	8,446,000	6,704,000	8,373,000	3,705,000	3,745,000
Total current liabilities	222,366,000	252,211,000	187,574,000	133,567,000	133,962,000	112,808,000	93,064,000	84,543,000
Deferred revenue	32,944,000	29,511,000	24,848,000	22,684,000	23,170,000	22,213,000	24,126,000	25,366,000
Operating lease liabilities	99,624,000	74,422,000	58,410,000	52,165,000	50,937,000	36,599,000	30,631,000	25,657,000
Finance lease liabilities	4,493,000	2,384,000	2,465,000	1,953,000	2,011,000	2,068,000	2,123,000	2,142,000
Common stock warrant liability						98,000	525,000	2,231,000
Finance obligations	148,836,000	140,662,000	131,653,000	121,322,000	119,422,000	99,669,000	76,916,000	54,864,000
Convertible senior notes, net	85,640,000	105,088,000	142,889,000	113,063,000	110,431,000	107,945,000	66,844,000	65,025,000
Long-term debt	150,013,000	120,380,000	101,844,000	79,119,000	85,708,000	78,840,000	83,776,000	72,676,000
Other liabilities	40,447,000	45,170,000	14,476,000	2,386,000	2,818,000	2,834,000	3,333,000	3,746,000
Total liabilities	784,363,000	769,828,000	664,159,000	526,259,000	528,459,000	463,074,000	381,338,000	336,250,000
Redeemable preferred stock:
Preferred stock						0.01
Stockholders' equity:
Common stock, $.01 par value	4,740,000	4,061,000	3,482,000	3,222,000	3,186,000	2,540,000	2,470,000	2,445,000
Additional paid-in capital	3,446,650,000	2,083,169,000	1,658,438,000	1,519,094,000	1,506,953,000	1,340,781,000	1,325,381,000	1,316,815,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income	2,451,000	1,846,000	1,159,000	1,052,000	1,288,000	929,000	1,460,000	1,374,000
Accumulated deficit	(1,946,488,000)	(1,462,377,000)	(1,397,160,000)	(1,387,752,000)	(1,350,307,000)	(1,332,259,000)	(1,314,425,000)	(1,297,072,000)
Less common stock in treasury	(40,434,000)	(40,434,000)	(31,359,000)	(31,224,000)	(31,216,000)	(31,216,000)	(30,681,000)	(30,637,000)
Total stockholders' equity	1,466,919,000	586,265,000	234,560,000	104,392,000	129,904,000	(19,225,000)	(15,795,000)	(7,075,000)	$ (3,588,000)	$ 70,229,000
Total liabilities, redeemable preferred stock, and stockholders' equity	$ 2,251,282,000	1,356,093,000	898,719,000	631,360,000	659,513,000	470,304,000	397,178,000	360,815,000
As previously Reported
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		448,140,000	152,492,000	74,340,000	139,496,000	43,275,000	19,845,000	39,336,000
Restricted cash		55,704,000	50,634,000	56,804,000	54,813,000	35,720,000	19,400,000	19,297,000
Accounts receivable		113,133,000	45,522,000	24,437,000	25,448,000	24,392,000	26,592,000	32,062,000
Inventory		134,306,000	114,571,000	92,972,000	72,391,000	80,601,000	73,190,000	65,474,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		26,731,000	31,436,000	28,500,000	21,192,000	12,804,000	14,001,000	10,296,000
Total current assets		778,014,000	394,655,000	277,053,000	313,340,000	196,792,000	153,028,000	166,465,000
Restricted cash		227,528,000	180,127,000	176,070,000	175,191,000	119,322,000	96,082,000	50,598,000
Property, plant, and equipment, net		64,820,000	60,018,000	16,591,000	14,959,000	14,990,000	14,228,000	13,615,000
Equipment related to power purchase agreements and fuel delivered to customers, net		309,475,000	274,721,000	252,802,000	244,740,000	202,034,000	170,455,000	141,889,000
Goodwill		71,962,000	70,402,000	8,673,000	8,842,000	8,606,000	8,961,000	8,886,000
Intangible assets, net		39,169,000	38,574,000	5,296,000	5,539,000	5,113,000	5,398,000	3,677,000
Other assets		9,661,000	11,817,000	12,059,000	8,573,000	9,152,000	8,842,000	11,069,000
Total assets		1,500,629,000	1,030,314,000	748,544,000	771,184,000	556,009,000	456,994,000	396,199,000
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable		58,793,000	39,812,000	35,503,000	40,376,000	36,851,000	36,946,000	31,688,000
Accrued expenses		32,031,000	23,320,000	14,273,000	14,213,000	9,457,000	4,522,000	6,509,000
Deferred revenue		17,226,000	14,902,000	11,557,000	11,691,000	11,480,000	11,730,000	11,736,000
Finance obligations		63,692,000	57,695,000	52,047,000	49,507,000	41,112,000	30,663,000	23,997,000
Current portion of long-term debt		74,829,000	50,933,000	27,819,000	26,461,000	17,202,000	15,928,000	12,559,000
Other current liabilities		17,280,000	21,692,000	10,423,000	8,543,000	10,238,000	3,017,000	2,271,000
Total current liabilities		263,851,000	208,354,000	151,622,000	150,791,000	126,340,000	102,806,000	88,760,000
Deferred revenue		29,648,000	25,038,000	22,912,000	23,369,000	22,444,000	24,519,000	25,835,000
Common stock warrant liability						98,000	525,000	2,231,000
Finance obligations		337,150,000	300,653,000	272,171,000	265,228,000	208,465,000	157,531,000	111,195,000
Convertible senior notes, net		105,088,000	142,704,000	112,878,000	110,246,000	107,760,000	66,844,000	65,025,000
Long-term debt		120,380,000	101,844,000	79,119,000	85,708,000	78,840,000	83,776,000	72,676,000
Other liabilities		27,068,000	11,756,000	13,000	13,000	13,000	13,000	17,000
Total liabilities		883,185,000	790,349,000	638,715,000	635,355,000	543,960,000	436,014,000	365,739,000
Stockholders' equity:
Common stock, $.01 par value		4,061,000	3,482,000	3,222,000	3,186,000	2,540,000	2,470,000	2,445,000
Additional paid-in capital		2,083,199,000	1,658,532,000	1,519,257,000	1,507,116,000	1,340,859,000	1,325,459,000	1,316,893,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income		1,958,000	1,271,000	1,164,000	1,400,000	929,000	1,460,000	1,374,000
Accumulated deficit		(1,431,340,000)	(1,391,961,000)	(1,383,299,000)	(1,345,807,000)	(1,327,518,000)	(1,309,363,000)	(1,291,255,000)
Less common stock in treasury		(40,434,000)	(31,359,000)	(31,224,000)	(31,216,000)	(31,216,000)	(30,681,000)	(30,637,000)
Total stockholders' equity		617,444,000	239,965,000	109,120,000	134,679,000	(14,406,000)	(10,655,000)	(1,180,000)	2,713,000	73,646,000
Total liabilities, redeemable preferred stock, and stockholders' equity		1,500,629,000	1,030,314,000	748,544,000	771,184,000	556,009,000	456,994,000	396,199,000
Restatement Adjustments
Current assets:
Accounts receivable		372,000	260,000	297,000	320,000	345,000	252,000	245,000
Inventory		(103,000)
Total current assets		269,000	260,000	297,000	320,000	345,000	252,000	245,000
Right of use assets related to finance leases, net		2,335,000	2,389,000	1,707,000	1,714,000	1,720,000	1,726,000	1,733,000
Right of use assets related to operating leases, net		90,184,000	71,789,000	64,812,000	63,266,000	47,016,000	39,679,000	33,599,000
Equipment related to power purchase agreements and fuel delivered to customers, net		(237,584,000)	(206,293,000)	(184,400,000)	(176,971,000)	(134,786,000)	(101,473,000)	(70,961,000)
Goodwill		(140,000)	(140,000)
Intangible assets, net		400,000	400,000	400,000
Total assets		(144,536,000)	(131,595,000)	(117,184,000)	(111,671,000)	(85,705,000)	(59,816,000)	(35,384,000)
Current liabilities:
Accrued expenses		5,917,000	597,000	597,000	196,000
Operating lease liabilities		10,609,000	9,453,000	8,959,000	9,428,000	8,666,000	7,512,000	7,042,000
Finance lease liabilities		374,000	345,000	204,000	226,000	310,000	266,000	236,000
Finance obligations		(32,343,000)	(28,901,000)	(25,838,000)	(24,840,000)	(20,643,000)	(18,208,000)	(12,969,000)
Other current liabilities		3,803,000	(2,274,000)	(1,977,000)	(1,839,000)	(1,865,000)	688,000	1,474,000
Total current liabilities		(11,640,000)	(20,780,000)	(18,055,000)	(16,829,000)	(13,532,000)	(9,742,000)	(4,217,000)
Deferred revenue		(137,000)	(190,000)	(228,000)	(199,000)	(231,000)	(393,000)	(469,000)
Operating lease liabilities		74,422,000	58,410,000	52,165,000	50,937,000	36,599,000	30,631,000	25,657,000
Finance lease liabilities		2,384,000	2,465,000	1,953,000	2,011,000	2,068,000	2,123,000	2,142,000
Finance obligations		(196,488,000)	(169,000,000)	(150,849,000)	(145,806,000)	(108,796,000)	(80,615,000)	(56,331,000)
Convertible senior notes, net			185,000	185,000	185,000	185,000
Other liabilities		18,102,000	2,720,000	2,373,000	2,805,000	2,821,000	3,320,000	3,729,000
Total liabilities		(113,357,000)	(126,190,000)	(112,456,000)	(106,896,000)	(80,886,000)	(54,676,000)	(29,489,000)
Stockholders' equity:
Additional paid-in capital		(30,000)	(94,000)	(163,000)	(163,000)	(78,000)	(78,000)	(78,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive income		(112,000)	(112,000)	(112,000)	(112,000)
Accumulated deficit		(31,037,000)	(5,199,000)	(4,453,000)	(4,500,000)	(4,741,000)	(5,062,000)	(5,817,000)
Total stockholders' equity		(31,179,000)	(5,405,000)	(4,728,000)	(4,775,000)	(4,819,000)	(5,140,000)	(5,895,000)	$ (6,301,000)	$ (3,417,000)
Total liabilities, redeemable preferred stock, and stockholders' equity		$ (144,536,000)	$ (131,595,000)	(117,184,000)	(111,671,000)	(85,705,000)	(59,816,000)	(35,384,000)
Series C Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock
Redeemable preferred stock:
Preferred stock				709,000	709,000	709,000	709,000	709,000
Series C Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock | As previously Reported
Redeemable preferred stock:
Preferred stock				$ 709,000	709,000	709,000	709,000	709,000
Series E Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock
Redeemable preferred stock:
Preferred stock					441,000	25,746,000	30,926,000	30,931,000
Series E Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock | As previously Reported
Redeemable preferred stock:
Preferred stock					$ 441,000	$ 25,746,000	$ 30,926,000	$ 30,931,000