11. Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2021 USD ($) Projects	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($) Projects	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 803,374	$ 532,124
Project Change in Estimate Disclosure Threshold	$ 1,000
Number of projects with changes in estimates | Projects	4	2
Increase (decrease) in revenue from net changes in transaction prices	$ 1,634	$ (762)
Increase in revenue from net changes in input cost estimates	0	1,885
Net increase in revenue from net changes in estimates	$ 1,634	$ 1,123
Net change in estimate as a percentage of aggregate revenue	0.10%	0.30%
Accounts receivable, unbilled	$ 80,561		$ 49,395
Accounts receivable, unbilled, allowance for credit losses	(276)	$ (1,223)	(303)	$ 0
Accounts receivable, unbilled, net	80,285		49,092
Contract Asset, Net Change	$ 31,193
Contract Asset, Percent Change	64.00%
Deferred revenue	$ 261,493		233,732
Contract Liability, Net Change	$ 27,761
Contract Liability, Percent Change	12.00%
Unbilled Receivables, Noncurrent	$ 53,281		22,722
Deferred Revenue, Noncurrent	54,963		44,919
Module sales, advanced payments	206,530		$ 188,813
Sales Revenue Net, from Beginning Contract Liability	72,000	268,200
Solar Modules [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Net sales	534,670	393,681
Remaining Performance Obligation, Transaction Price	4,100,000
Solar Power Systems [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Net sales	226,967	90,076
O&M Services [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Net sales	27,235	29,475
Energy Generation [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Net sales	14,579	17,973
EPC Services [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Net sales	$ (77)	$ 919