5. Consolidated Balance Sheet Details (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020	Jan. 01, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Jan. 01, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Accounts receivable, trade, and unbilled
Accounts receivable trade, gross	$ 585,507		$ 585,507			$ 269,095
Accounts Receivable Trade, Allowance for credit losses	(2,479)	$ (3,334)	(2,479)	$ (3,334)		(3,009)		$ (1,386)
Accounts receivable trade, net	583,028		583,028			266,086
Secured accounts receivable	59,000		59,000			24,400
Accounts receivable, unbilled	14,633		14,633			26,673
Accounts receivable, unbilled, allowance for credit losses	(37)	(734)	(37)	(734)		(303)		0
Accounts receivable, unbilled, net	14,596		14,596			26,370
Allowance for Credit Loss [Abstract]
Accounts Receivable Trade, Allowance for credit losses	(2,479)	(3,334)	(2,479)	(3,334)		(3,009)		(1,386)
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Cumulative-effect adjustment for adoption of ASU 2016-13					$ 0		$ (171)
Accounts Receivable Trade, Provision for credit losses, net			433	(2,235)
Accounts Receivable Trade, Writeoffs			97	458
Accounts receivable, unbilled, allowance for credit losses	(37)	(734)	(37)	(734)		(303)		$ 0
Accounts Receivable, Unbilled, Allowance for Credit Loss, Cumulative-effect adjustment for adoption of ASU 2016-13					$ 0		$ (459)
Accounts Receivable, Unbilled, Provision for credit losses, net			266	(275)
Inventories and balance of systems parts
Raw materials	333,010		333,010			292,334
Work in process	60,837		60,837			64,709
Finished goods	435,929		435,929			411,773
Inventories	829,776		829,776			768,816
Inventories - current	603,057		603,057			567,587
Inventories - noncurrent	226,719		226,719			201,229
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Prepaid expenses	169,879		169,879			160,534
Derivative instruments	5,702		5,702			3,315
Restricted cash	864		864			1,745
Prepaid income taxes	633		633			71,051
Other current assets	12,324		12,324			15,094
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	189,402		189,402			251,739
Property, plant and equipment, net
Property, plant and equipment, gross	3,517,714		3,517,714			3,497,406
Accumulated depreciation	(1,121,073)		(1,121,073)			(1,095,121)
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,396,641		2,396,641			2,402,285
PV solar power systems, net
PV solar power systems, gross	291,886		291,886			298,067
Accumulated depreciation	(58,516)		(58,516)			(54,671)
PV solar power systems, net	233,370		233,370			243,396
Project assets
Project assets - development costs, including project acquisition and land costs	132,794		132,794			176,346
Project assets - construction costs	178,022		178,022			197,031
Total project assets	310,816		310,816			373,377
Other assets
Restricted cash - noncurrent	285,517		285,517			44,847
Operating lease assets	217,630		217,630			226,664
Advanced payments for raw materials	93,364		93,364			97,883
Accounts receivable, unbilled - noncurrent	59,034		59,034			22,722
Income taxes receivable, noncurrent	39,888		39,888			36
Indirect tax receivables	21,601		21,601			14,849
Other	35,836		35,836			27,129
Other assets	752,870		752,870			434,130
Goodwill
Goodwill	14,462		14,462			14,462
Goodwill, period increase (decrease)			0
Intangibles assets, net
Intangible assets, gross	114,623		114,623			114,623
Intangible assets, accumulated amortization	(63,954)		(63,954)			(58,485)
Intangibles assets, net	50,669		50,669			56,138
Amortization of intangible assets	2,800	2,700	5,500	5,300
Accrued expenses
Accrued project assets	44,677		44,677			81,380
Accrued freight	41,130		41,130			26,580
Accrued inventory	30,678		30,678			25,704
Accrued property, plant and equipment	24,129		24,129			66,543
Accrued compensation and benefits	23,432		23,432			51,685
Product warranty liability	16,846		16,846			22,278
Other	35,664		35,664			36,297
Accrued expenses	216,556		216,556			310,467
Other current liabilities
Operating lease liabilities, current	13,217		13,217			14,006
Derivative instruments	2,852		2,852			5,280
Other taxes payable, current	2,138		2,138			30,041
Other	15,680		15,680			33,710
Other current liabilities	33,887		33,887			83,037
Other liabilities
Operating lease liabilities, noncurrent	175,759		175,759			189,034
Deferred revenue, noncurrent	91,162		91,162			44,919
Product warranty liability	74,212		74,212			72,818
Deferred income tax liabilities, net	14,611		14,611			23,671
Other	42,361		42,361			41,784
Other liabilities	398,105		398,105			372,226
Developed Technology [Member]
Intangibles assets, net
Intangible assets, gross	99,964		99,964			99,964
Intangible assets, accumulated amortization	(57,050)		(57,050)			(52,115)
Intangibles assets, net	42,914		42,914			47,849
Power Purchase Agreements [Member]
Intangibles assets, net
Intangible assets, gross	6,486		6,486			6,486
Intangible assets, accumulated amortization	(1,458)		(1,458)			(1,296)
Intangibles assets, net	5,028		5,028			5,190
Patents [Member]
Intangibles assets, net
Intangible assets, gross	8,173		8,173			8,173
Intangible assets, accumulated amortization	(5,446)		(5,446)			(5,074)
Intangibles assets, net	2,727		2,727			3,099
Modules Segment [Member]
Goodwill
Goodwill, Gross	407,827		407,827			407,827
Accumulated impairment loss	(393,365)		(393,365)			(393,365)
Goodwill	14,462		14,462			14,462
Goodwill from acquisition			0
Goodwill impairment			0
Property, Plant and Equipment [Member]
Property, plant and equipment, net
Depreciation	58,800	48,500	115,600	95,900
PV solar power systems [Member]
Property, plant and equipment, net
Depreciation	2,900	$ 5,800	5,900	$ 11,700
Land [Member]
Property, plant and equipment, net
Property, plant and equipment, gross	14,404		14,404			14,498
Building and improvements [Member]
Property, plant and equipment, net
Property, plant and equipment, gross	692,865		692,865			693,762
Machinery and equipment [Member]
Property, plant and equipment, net
Property, plant and equipment, gross	2,441,410		2,441,410			2,184,236
Office equipment and furniture [Member]
Property, plant and equipment, net
Property, plant and equipment, gross	140,791		140,791			143,685
Leasehold improvements [Member]
Property, plant and equipment, net
Property, plant and equipment, gross	42,079		42,079			41,459
Construction in progress [Member]
Property, plant and equipment, net
Property, plant and equipment, gross	$ 186,165		$ 186,165			$ 419,766