Restatement of Previously Issued Consolidated Financial Statements - Consolidated Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2019		Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Jan. 01, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018		Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Interest rate percentage		6.00%
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 202,823	[1]	$ 226,499	$ 308,009	$ 320,414	$ 220,728	$ 220,728	[1]	$ 395,516	$ 91,596	$ 88,227
Restricted cash		30,804	[1]	14,486	23,706	18,419	28,657	28,657	[1]	17,931	25,860	22,998
Short-term investments		0					104,350	104,350		4,494	15,703	20,138
Accounts receivable		37,828	[1]	26,353	40,038	85,647	89,779	88,784	[1]	45,261	40,442	61,996
Inventories		109,606		132,607	106,889	119,871	135,265	135,265		137,778	129,284	94,032
Deferred cost of revenue		58,470		41,042	80,307	52,911	43,809	43,809		45,183	35,654	43,415
Customer financing receivable		5,108	[1]	5,919	5,817	5,717	5,594	5,594	[1]	5,496	5,398	5,303
Prepaid expense and other current assets		28,068	[1]	28,642	26,483	30,073	36,887	36,747	[1]	36,499	24,820	28,944
Total current assets		472,707		475,548	591,249	633,052	665,069	663,934		688,158	368,757	365,053
Property, plant and equipment, net		607,059	[1]	627,385	641,259	711,631	716,751	716,751	[1]	698,123	697,344	702,228
Customer financing receivable, non-current		50,747	[1]	62,615	64,146	65,620	67,082	67,082	[1]	68,535	69,963	71,337
Restricted cash, non-current		143,761	[1]	116,890	39,351	31,101	31,100	31,100	[1]	30,779	32,416	32,367
Deferred cost of revenue, non-current		6,665		3,724	3,846	1,933	45	45		45	60	53
Other long-term assets		41,652	[1]	70,951	72,836	45,447	45,354	42,882	[1]	44,397	45,241	43,179
Total assets		1,322,591		1,357,113	1,412,687	1,488,784	1,525,401	1,521,794		1,530,037	1,213,781	1,214,217
Accounts payable		55,579	[1]	81,060	61,427	64,425	66,889	66,889	[1]	59,818	53,798	47,755
Accrued warranty		10,333		12,862	10,240	14,237	16,936	17,968		17,312	14,287	16,394
Accrued other current liabilities		70,284	[1]	79,616	105,393	64,073	66,838	66,838	[1]	63,986	49,932	53,654
Deferred managed services revenue		416		10,420	10,027	8,819		1,421		7,780	6,792	6,556
Financing obligations		10,993		77,551	118,738	75,069	8,128	8,128		72,738	66,054	71,486
Deferred revenue and customer deposits	[1]	89,192					72,285	67,632
Current portion of recourse debt		304,627		15,678	15,681	15,683	8,686	8,686		1,686	10,351	6,017
Current portion of non-recourse debt		8,273	[1]	7,983	7,654	19,486	18,962	18,962	[1]	18,499	18,025	17,583
Current portion of recourse debt from related parties		20,801						0
Current portion of non-recourse debt from related parties		3,882	[1]	3,500	2,889	2,341	2,200	2,200	[1]	1,737	1,630	1,525
Total current liabilities		573,964		288,670	332,049	264,133	260,924	257,303		243,556	220,869	220,970
Preferred stock warrant liabilities											2,369	6,554
Derivative liabilities		17,551	[1]	20,284	18,175	15,722	14,143	14,143	[1]	13,658	192,416	168,071
Deferred revenue and customer deposits, net of current portion		125,529	[1]	122,276	110,750	103,751	105,290	87,308	[1]	89,204	88,630	89,501
Managed services liabilities		446,200						385,600
Financing obligations, non-current		446,165		397,272	400,078	394,037	385,650	385,650		375,254	356,727	321,682
Long-term portion of recourse debt		75,962		359,959	362,424	357,876	360,339	360,339		358,363	524,934	517,483
Long-term portion of non-recourse debt		192,180	[1]	217,334	219,182	284,541	289,241	289,241	[1]	293,593	298,048	302,345
Long-term portion of recourse debt from related parties		0		27,734	27,734	27,734	27,734	27,734		32,168	72,087	70,202
Long-term portion of non-recourse debt from related parties		31,087	[1]	31,781	32,643	33,417	34,119	34,119	[1]	34,765	35,054	35,312
Other long-term liabilities		28,013		28,852	29,979	28,970	26,196	26,196		18,437	21,564	21,753
Total liabilities		1,490,451		1,494,162	1,533,014	1,510,181	1,503,636	1,482,033		1,458,998	1,812,698	1,753,873
Commitments and contingencies (Note 14)
Redeemable noncontrolling interest		443		557	505	58,802	57,261	57,261		56,446	54,940	58,176
Common stock: $0.0001 par value; Class A shares, 600,000,000 shares authorized at both December 31, 2019 and 2018, and 84,549,511 shares and 20,868,286 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively; Class B shares, 600,000,000 shares authorized at both December 31, 2019 and 2018, and 36,486,778 shares and 88,552,897 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.		12		12	11	11	11	11		11	1	1
Additional paid-in capital		2,686,759		2,647,874	2,604,034	2,552,011	2,481,352	2,481,352		2,388,116	166,805	158,605
Accumulated other comprehensive income		19		(147)	(148)	5	131	131		272	217	117
Accumulated deficit		(2,946,384)		(2,880,551)	(2,828,801)	(2,746,890)	(2,642,100)	(2,624,104)		(2,508,655)	(2,428,154)	(2,372,155)
Total stockholders’ deficit		(259,594)		(232,812)	(224,904)	(194,863)	(160,606)	(142,610)		(120,256)	(2,261,131)	(2,213,432)
Noncontrolling interest		91,291		95,206	104,072	114,664	125,110	125,110		134,849	141,433	149,759
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interest, stockholders' deficit and noncontrolling interest		$ 1,322,591		1,357,113	1,412,687	1,488,784	$ 1,525,401	1,521,794		1,530,037	1,213,781	1,214,217
Previously Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents				226,499	308,009	320,414		220,728		395,516	91,596	88,227
Restricted cash				14,486	23,706	18,419		28,657		17,931	25,860	22,998
Short-term investments								104,350		4,494	15,703	20,138
Accounts receivable				26,737	38,296	84,070		84,887		41,485	36,804	58,520
Inventories				140,372	104,934	116,544		132,476		134,725	136,433	97,079
Deferred cost of revenue				50,707	86,434	66,316		62,147		66,009	55,476	81,229
Customer financing receivable				5,919	5,817	5,717		5,594		5,496	5,398	5,303
Prepaid expense and other current assets				25,639	25,088	28,362		33,742		32,876	23,003	27,836
Total current assets				490,359	592,284	639,842		672,581		698,532	390,273	401,330
Property, plant and equipment, net				384,377	406,610	475,385		481,414		471,074	477,765	487,169
Customer financing receivable, non-current				62,615	64,146	65,620		67,082		68,535	69,963	71,337
Restricted cash, non-current				116,890	39,351	31,101		31,100		30,779	32,416	32,367
Deferred cost of revenue, non-current				57,286	59,213	72,516		102,699		139,217	148,934	155,658
Other long-term assets				58,400	60,975	34,386		34,792		37,008	38,386	36,773
Total assets				1,169,927	1,222,579	1,318,850		1,389,668		1,445,145	1,157,737	1,184,634
Accounts payable				81,060	61,427	64,425		66,889		59,818	53,798	47,755
Accrued warranty				15,295	12,393	16,736		19,236		17,975	14,928	16,723
Accrued other current liabilities				82,150	109,722	67,966		69,535		66,873	54,832	57,683
Deferred managed services revenue				0	0	0				0	0	0
Financing obligations				88,060	129,321	89,557		0		105,265	94,582	99,449
Deferred revenue and customer deposits								94,158
Current portion of recourse debt				15,678	15,681	15,683		8,686		1,686	10,351	6,017
Current portion of non-recourse debt				7,983	7,654	19,486		18,962		18,499	18,025	17,583
Current portion of non-recourse debt from related parties				3,500	2,889	2,341		2,200		1,737	1,630	1,525
Total current liabilities				293,726	339,087	276,194		279,666		271,853	248,146	246,735
Preferred stock warrant liabilities											2,369	6,554
Derivative liabilities				14,648	13,079	11,166		10,128		9,441	188,199	163,854
Deferred revenue and customer deposits, net of current portion				179,712	181,221	201,863		241,794		290,481	301,550	306,153
Financing obligations, non-current				0	0	0		0		0	0	0
Long-term portion of recourse debt				359,959	362,424	357,876		360,339		358,363	524,934	517,483
Long-term portion of non-recourse debt				217,334	219,182	284,541		289,241		293,593	298,048	302,345
Long-term portion of recourse debt from related parties				27,734	27,734	27,734		27,734		32,168	72,087	70,202
Long-term portion of non-recourse debt from related parties				31,781	32,643	33,417		34,119		34,765	35,054	35,312
Other long-term liabilities				56,117	58,417	58,032		55,937		48,161	52,153	51,860
Total liabilities				1,181,011	1,233,787	1,250,823		1,298,958		1,338,825	1,722,540	1,700,498
Redeemable noncontrolling interest				557	505	58,802		57,261		56,446	54,940	58,176
Common stock: $0.0001 par value; Class A shares, 600,000,000 shares authorized at both December 31, 2019 and 2018, and 84,549,511 shares and 20,868,286 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively; Class B shares, 600,000,000 shares authorized at both December 31, 2019 and 2018, and 36,486,778 shares and 88,552,897 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.				12	11	11		11		11	1	1
Additional paid-in capital				2,647,118	2,603,279	2,551,256		2,480,597		2,387,361	166,805	158,605
Accumulated other comprehensive income				(147)	(148)	5		131		272	217	117
Accumulated deficit				(2,753,830)	(2,718,927)	(2,656,711)		(2,572,400)		(2,472,619)	(2,394,040)	(2,348,363)
Total stockholders’ deficit				(106,847)	(115,785)	(105,439)		(91,661)		(84,975)	(2,227,017)	(2,189,640)
Noncontrolling interest				95,206	104,072	114,664		125,110		134,849	141,433	149,759
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interest, stockholders' deficit and noncontrolling interest				1,169,927	1,222,579	1,318,850		1,389,668		1,445,145	1,157,737	1,184,634
Restatement Adjustment
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents				0	0	0		0		0	0	0
Restricted cash				0	0	0		0		0	0	0
Short-term investments								0		0	0	0
Accounts receivable				4,216	4,172	3,995		3,897		3,776	3,638	3,476
Inventories				(7,765)	1,955	3,327		2,789		3,053	(7,149)	(3,047)
Deferred cost of revenue				(9,665)	(6,127)	(13,405)		(18,338)		(20,826)	(19,822)	(37,814)
Customer financing receivable				0	0	0		0		0	0	0
Prepaid expense and other current assets				2,830	1,252	1,582		3,005		3,623	1,817	1,108
Total current assets				(10,384)	1,252	(4,501)		(8,647)		(10,374)	(21,516)	(36,277)
Property, plant and equipment, net				243,008	234,649	236,246		235,337		227,049	219,579	215,059
Customer financing receivable, non-current				0	0	0		0		0	0	0
Restricted cash, non-current				0	0	0		0		0	0	0
Deferred cost of revenue, non-current				(53,562)	(55,367)	(70,583)		(102,654)		(139,172)	(148,874)	(155,605)
Other long-term assets				9,319	9,118	8,486		8,090		7,389	6,855	6,406
Total assets				188,381	189,652	169,648		132,126		84,892	56,044	29,583
Accounts payable				0	0	0		0		0	0	0
Accrued warranty				(1,159)	(1,154)	(1,219)		(1,268)		(663)	(641)	(329)
Accrued other current liabilities				(2,534)	(4,329)	(3,893)		(2,697)		(2,887)	(4,900)	(4,029)
Deferred managed services revenue				10,420	10,027	8,819				7,780	6,792	6,556
Financing obligations				(13,856)	(13,847)	(16,153)		8,128		(32,527)	(28,528)	(27,963)
Deferred revenue and customer deposits								(26,526)
Current portion of recourse debt				0	0	0		0		0	0	0
Current portion of non-recourse debt				0	0	0		0		0	0	0
Current portion of non-recourse debt from related parties				0	0	0		0		0	0	0
Total current liabilities				(7,129)	(9,303)	(12,446)		(22,363)		(28,297)	(27,277)	(25,765)
Preferred stock warrant liabilities											0	0
Derivative liabilities				5,636	5,096	4,556		4,015		4,217	4,217	4,217
Deferred revenue and customer deposits, net of current portion				(92,390)	(95,840)	(115,432)		(154,486)		(201,277)	(212,920)	(216,652)
Financing obligations, non-current				397,272	400,078	394,037		385,650		375,254	356,727	321,682
Long-term portion of recourse debt				0	0	0		0		0	0	0
Long-term portion of non-recourse debt				0	0	0		0		0	0	0
Long-term portion of recourse debt from related parties				0	0	0		0		0	0	0
Long-term portion of non-recourse debt from related parties				0	0	0		0		0	0	0
Other long-term liabilities				(27,264)	(28,438)	(29,062)		(29,741)		(29,724)	(30,589)	(30,107)
Total liabilities				276,125	271,593	241,653		183,075		120,173	90,158	53,375
Redeemable noncontrolling interest				0	0	0		0		0	0	0
Common stock: $0.0001 par value; Class A shares, 600,000,000 shares authorized at both December 31, 2019 and 2018, and 84,549,511 shares and 20,868,286 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively; Class B shares, 600,000,000 shares authorized at both December 31, 2019 and 2018, and 36,486,778 shares and 88,552,897 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.				0	0	0		0		0	0	0
Additional paid-in capital				756	755	755		755		755	0	0
Accumulated other comprehensive income				0	0	0		0		0	0	0
Accumulated deficit				(88,500)	(82,696)	(72,760)		(51,704)		(36,036)	(34,114)	(23,792)
Total stockholders’ deficit				(87,744)	(81,941)	(72,005)		(50,949)		(35,281)	(34,114)	(23,792)
Noncontrolling interest				0	0	0		0		0	0	0
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interest, stockholders' deficit and noncontrolling interest				188,381	189,652	169,648		132,126		84,892	56,044	29,583
Capitalized Stock-Based Compensation | Restatement Adjustment
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Inventories				3,702	1,955	3,827		8,134		7,193	870	348
Deferred cost of revenue				800	3,700	2,100		2,216		3,000		300
Property, plant and equipment, net				3,700	3,700	3,600		3,221		2,400	1,000	900
Immaterial Misstatements | Restatement Adjustment
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Deferred cost of revenue								900
Change In Policy | Restatement Adjustment
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Accrued warranty				100	200	400		523		300	300
Grid Pricing Escalation | Restatement Adjustment
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Accrued warranty				1,100	900	800		745		400	400	300
Transfer Of Ownership | Restatement Adjustment
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, net				239,300	230,900	232,600		232,116		224,600	218,600	214,100
Reclassification Of Inventory | Restatement Adjustment
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Inventories								(6,044)
Correction Of In-Transit Shipment | Restatement Adjustment
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Inventories								699
Reclassification Of Lease Arrangements | Restatement Adjustment
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Deferred cost of revenue				(7,400)	(7,400)	(13,900)		(19,636)		(23,800)	(20,100)	(38,200)
Deferred cost of revenue, non-current				(53,600)	$ (55,400)	$ (70,600)		(102,654)		139,200	$ (148,900)	$ 155,600
Valuation Adjustment | Restatement Adjustment
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Additional paid-in capital				$ (755)				$ 755		$ 755
Affiliated entity | Convertible promissory notes | 6% Notes
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Interest rate percentage		6.00%
Energy Servers
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Estimated depreciable life		21 years

[1] We have variable interest entities which represent a portion of the consolidated balances are recorded within these financial statement line items in the Consolidated Balance Sheets (see Note 13, Power Purchase Agreement Programs).