Note 12. Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliates and Joint Ventures (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands, £ in Millions	1 Months Ended				6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Apr. 30, 2015	Nov. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 GBP (£)	Dec. 31, 2014 GBP (£)	Sep. 30, 2013
Schedule of Equity and Cost Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investments						$ 375,355	$ 249,614
Cost method investments						24,450	5,415
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates and joint ventures						399,805	255,029
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates, net of tax						20,430	(4,949)	$ (163)
Sale Leaseback Transaction, Amount Due under Financing Arrangement, Current						5,277	0
Sale Leaseback Transaction, Amount Due under Financing Arrangement, Noncurrent						36,706	0
Net sales						3,578,995	3,391,187	$ 3,309,616
Notes receivable, affiliates - noncurrent						17,887	9,127
Notes receivable, affiliate						1,276	12,487
Summarized financial information, net sales						7,099
Summarized financial information, operating loss						(555)
Summarized financial information, net income						8,936
Summarized financial information, net income attributable to equity method investees						111,135
Summarized financial information, current assets						70,135
Summarized financial information, long-term assets						1,938,785
Summarized financial information, current liabilities						150,313
Summarized financial information, long-term liabilities						309,169
Summarized financial information, noncontrolling interests, including redeemable noncontrolling interests						101,520
Maryland Solar Project [Member]
Schedule of Equity and Cost Method Investments [Line Items]
Sale Leaseback Transaction, Amount Due under Financing Arrangement						42,000
Sale Leaseback Transaction, Amount Due under Financing Arrangement, Current						5,277
Sale Leaseback Transaction, Amount Due under Financing Arrangement, Noncurrent						36,706
Maryland Solar LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity and Cost Method Investments [Line Items]
Subsidiary, Ownership Percentage by Parent		100.00%			100.00%
8point3 Energy Partners LP [Member]
Schedule of Equity and Cost Method Investments [Line Items]
Sale of Stock, Number of Shares Issued in Transaction | shares		20,000,000
Sale of Stock, Price Per Share | $ / shares		$ 21			$ 21
Limited Liability Company (LLC) or Limited Partnership (LP), Members or Limited Partners, Class B Shares Held | shares		22,116,925			22,116,925
Limited Liability Company (LLC) or Limited Partnership (LP), Members or Limited Partners, Ownership Interest		31.00%
Administrative Fees Expense		$ 600
Administrative Fees Expense, Right to Increase Percentage		15.00%
Management Fee Expense		$ 300
Management Fee Expense, Annual Escalation Percentage		2.00%
8point3 Energy Partners LP [Member] | Operations and Maintenance [Member]
Schedule of Equity and Cost Method Investments [Line Items]
Net sales						2,600
8point3 Operating Company, LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity and Cost Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investments						152,500
Equity Method Investment, Common Units Held | shares		6,721,810			6,721,810
Equity Method Investment, Subordinated Units Held | shares		15,395,115			15,395,115
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		31.00%			31.00%
Proceeds from Equity Method Investment, Gross Distributions		$ 283,700
Minimum Quarterly Distribution, Threshold for Early Termination of Subordination Period		150.00%			150.00%
Minimum Quarterly Distribution, Measurement Period for Early Termination of Subordination Period		1 year
Equity Method Investment, Difference Between Carrying Amount and Underlying Equity		$ 45,500			$ 45,500
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates, net of tax						20,800
Equity Method Investment, Financial Information, Senior Secured Credit Facility		525,000			525,000
8point3 Operating Company, LLC [Member] | Term Loan Facility [Member]
Schedule of Equity and Cost Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Financial Information, Senior Secured Credit Facility		300,000			300,000
8point3 Operating Company, LLC [Member] | Delayed Draw Term Loan Facility [Member]
Schedule of Equity and Cost Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Financial Information, Senior Secured Credit Facility		25,000			25,000
8point3 Operating Company, LLC [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Schedule of Equity and Cost Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Financial Information, Senior Secured Credit Facility		200,000			200,000
SG2 Holdings, LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity and Cost Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investments		$ 224,500			$ 224,500		219,900
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		49.00%		49.00%	49.00%
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates, net of tax					$ 2,100
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage Sold				51.00%
Power Purchase Agreement, Term				25 years
Lost Hills Blackwell Holdings, LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity and Cost Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investments		$ 34,100			$ 34,100
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		49.00%	49.00%		49.00%
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates, net of tax					$ 200
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage Sold			51.00%
Power Purchase Agreement, Term			25 years
NS Solar Holdings, LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity and Cost Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investments		$ 93,600			$ 93,600
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		49.00%	49.00%		49.00%
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage Sold			51.00%
Power Purchase Agreement, Term			20 years
NS Solar Holdings, LLC [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Schedule of Equity and Cost Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates, net of tax					$ (100)
Desert Stateline Holdings, LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity and Cost Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investments						196,900
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	49.00%
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates, net of tax						0
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage Sold	51.00%
Power Purchase Agreement, Term	20 years
Clean Energy Collective, LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity and Cost Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investments						$ 16,100	19,500
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage						27.00%			27.00%
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates, net of tax						$ 1,900	300
Notes Receivable, Related Parties, Borrowing Capacity				$ 15,000
Notes receivable, affiliates - noncurrent						15,000	9,100
Clean Energy Collective, LLC [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Schedule of Equity and Cost Method Investments [Line Items]
Note Receivable Interest Rate				7.00%
Clean Energy Collective, LLC [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Schedule of Equity and Cost Method Investments [Line Items]
Note Receivable Interest Rate				16.00%
Clean Energy Collective, LLC Warrant [Member]
Schedule of Equity and Cost Method Investments [Line Items]
Cost method investments				$ 1,800
Unconsolidated JV [Member]
Schedule of Equity and Cost Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage											50.00%
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage by Third Party											50.00%
Notes receivable, affiliate						$ 4,200	$ 12,500		£ 2.8	£ 8.0
Unconsolidated JV [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Schedule of Equity and Cost Method Investments [Line Items]
Note Receivable Interest Rate						6.00%			6.00%
Unconsolidated JV [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Schedule of Equity and Cost Method Investments [Line Items]
Note Receivable Interest Rate						8.00%			8.00%