Restatement of Previously Issued Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements - Consolidated Statement of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue	$ 187,856	$ 200,326	$ 344,555	$ 347,327
Cost of revenue	161,607	171,976	298,375	317,413
Gross profit	26,249	28,350	46,180	29,914
Research and development	19,377	29,772	42,656	58,631
Sales and marketing	11,427	18,194	25,376	38,567
General and administrative	24,945	43,662	54,043	82,736
Total operating expenses	55,749	91,628	122,075	179,934
Loss from operations	(29,500)	(63,278)	(75,895)	(150,020)
Interest income	332	1,700	1,151	3,585
Interest expense		(22,722)		(44,522)
Interest expense to related parties	(794)	(1,606)	(2,160)	(3,218)
Other income (expense), net	(3,913)	(222)	(3,921)	43
Gain (loss) on revaluation of embedded derivatives	412	(540)	696	(1,080)
Loss before income taxes	(47,837)	(86,668)	(129,355)	(195,212)
Income tax provision	141	258	265	466
Net income (loss)	(47,978)	(86,926)	(129,620)	(195,678)
Less: net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests	(5,466)	(5,015)	(11,159)	(8,847)
Net loss available to Class A and Class B common stockholders		$ (81,911)		(186,831)
Energy Servers
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Estimated depreciable life		21 years
Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		$ (11,417)		(12,147)
Cost of revenue		(1,475)		(2,690)
Gross profit		(9,942)		(9,457)
Research and development		0		0
Sales and marketing		(182)		(274)
General and administrative		0		0
Total operating expenses		(182)		(274)
Loss from operations		(9,760)		(9,183)
Interest income		0		0
Interest expense		0		0
Interest expense to related parties		0		0
Other income (expense), net		0		0
Gain (loss) on revaluation of embedded derivatives		0		0
Loss before income taxes		(9,760)		(9,183)
Income tax provision		0		0
Net income (loss)		(9,760)		(9,183)
Less: net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests		0		0
Net loss available to Class A and Class B common stockholders		(9,760)		(9,183)
As Previously Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		233,782		434,489
Cost of revenue		192,109		377,061
Gross profit		41,673		57,428
Research and development		29,772		58,631
Sales and marketing		18,359		38,822
General and administrative		43,662		82,736
Total operating expenses		91,793		180,189
Loss from operations		(50,120)		(122,761)
Interest income		1,700		3,585
Interest expense		(16,725)		(32,687)
Interest expense to related parties		(1,606)		(3,218)
Other income (expense), net		(222)		43
Gain (loss) on revaluation of embedded derivatives		0		0
Loss before income taxes		(66,973)		(155,038)
Income tax provision		258		466
Net income (loss)		(67,231)		(155,504)
Less: net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests		(5,015)		(8,847)
Net loss available to Class A and Class B common stockholders		(62,216)		(146,657)
Restatement Impacts
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		(22,039)		(75,015)
Cost of revenue		(18,658)		(56,958)
Gross profit		(3,381)		(18,057)
Research and development		0		0
Sales and marketing		17		19
General and administrative		0		0
Total operating expenses		17		19
Loss from operations		(3,398)		(18,076)
Interest income		0		0
Interest expense		(5,997)		(11,835)
Interest expense to related parties		0		0
Other income (expense), net		0		0
Gain (loss) on revaluation of embedded derivatives		(540)		(1,080)
Loss before income taxes		(9,935)		(30,991)
Income tax provision		0		0
Net income (loss)		(9,935)		(30,991)
Less: net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests		0		0
Net loss available to Class A and Class B common stockholders		(9,935)		(30,991)
Restatement Impacts | Grid Pricing Escalation
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on revaluation of embedded derivatives		500		1,100
Restatement Impacts | Immaterial Misstatements
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cost of revenue		800		1,600
Product
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue	116,197	144,081	215,756	235,007
Cost of revenue	83,127	113,228	155,616	202,000
Product | Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		(13,061)		(15,698)
Cost of revenue		281		33
Product | As Previously Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		179,899		321,633
Cost of revenue		131,952		255,952
Product | Restatement Impacts
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		(22,757)		(70,928)
Cost of revenue		(19,005)		(53,985)
Product | Restatement Impacts | Depreciation Of Energy Servers
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cost of revenue		(18,100)		(55,600)
Product | Restatement Impacts | Capitalized Stock-Based Compensation
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cost of revenue		(900)		1,600
Installation
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue	29,839	13,076	46,457	25,295
Cost of revenue	38,287	17,685	59,066	33,445
Installation | Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		1,691		2,847
Cost of revenue		0		0
Installation | As Previously Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		17,285		39,543
Cost of revenue		22,116		46,282
Installation | Restatement Impacts
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		(5,900)		(17,095)
Cost of revenue		(4,431)		(12,837)
Installation | Restatement Impacts | Depreciation Of Energy Servers
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cost of revenue		(5,200)		(14,400)
Service
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue	26,208	23,026	51,355	46,493
Cost of revenue	28,652	18,763	59,622	46,684
Service | Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		(47)		704
Cost of revenue		(1,756)		(2,723)
Service | As Previously Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		23,659		46,949
Cost of revenue		19,599		47,156
Service | Restatement Impacts
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		(586)		(1,160)
Cost of revenue		920		2,251
Service | Restatement Impacts | Grid Pricing Escalation
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cost of revenue		(100)		(200)
Service | Restatement Impacts | Capitalized Stock-Based Compensation
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cost of revenue		1,000		2,400
Electricity
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue	15,612	20,143	30,987	40,532
Cost of revenue	$ 11,541	22,300	$ 24,071	35,284
Electricity | Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		0		0
Cost of revenue		0		0
Electricity | As Previously Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		12,939		26,364
Cost of revenue		18,442		27,671
Electricity | Restatement Impacts
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		7,204		14,168
Cost of revenue		3,858		7,613
Electricity | Restatement Impacts | Depreciation Of Energy Servers
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cost of revenue		$ 3,800		$ 7,500