Restatement of Previously Issued Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements - Consolidated Statement of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue	$ 200,305	$ 224,307	$ 544,860	$ 571,634
Cost of revenue	144,318	181,582	442,693	498,995
Gross profit	55,987	42,725	102,167	72,639
Research and development	19,231	23,389	61,887	82,020
Sales and marketing	11,700	17,649	37,076	56,216
General and administrative	25,428	36,599	79,471	119,335
Total operating expenses	56,359	77,637	178,434	257,571
Loss from operations	(372)	(34,912)	(76,267)	(184,932)
Interest income	254	1,214	1,405	4,799
Interest expense		(21,323)		(65,845)
Interest expense to related parties	(353)	(1,605)	(2,513)	(4,823)
Other income (expense), net	(221)	525	(4,142)	568
Gain (loss) on revaluation of embedded derivatives	1,505	(540)	2,201	(1,620)
Loss before income taxes	(17,869)	(56,641)	(147,224)	(251,853)
Income tax provision	7	136	272	602
Net income (loss)	(17,876)	(56,777)	(147,496)	(252,455)
Less: net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests	(5,922)	(5,027)	(17,081)	(13,874)
Net loss attributable to Class A and Class B common stockholders		$ (51,750)		(238,581)
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		$ (14,023)		(26,170)
Cost of revenue		(2,459)		(5,149)
Gross profit		(11,564)		(21,021)
Research and development		0		0
Sales and marketing		(519)		(793)
General and administrative		0		0
Total operating expenses		(519)		(793)
Loss from operations		(11,045)		(20,228)
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		(11,045)		(20,228)
Income tax provision		0		0
Net income (loss)		(11,045)		(20,228)
Less: net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests		0		0
Net loss attributable to Class A and Class B common stockholders		(11,045)		(20,228)
As Previously Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		233,471		667,960
Cost of revenue		180,006		557,067
Gross profit		53,465		110,893
Research and development		23,389		82,020
Sales and marketing		18,125		56,947
General and administrative		36,599		119,335
Total operating expenses		78,113		258,302
Loss from operations		(24,648)		(147,409)
Interest income		1,214		4,799
Interest expense		(15,280)		(47,967)
Interest expense to related parties		(1,605)		(4,823)
Other income (expense), net		525		568
Gain (loss) on revaluation of embedded derivatives		0		0
Loss before income taxes		(39,794)		(194,832)
Income tax provision		136		602
Net income (loss)		(39,930)		(195,434)
Less: net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests		(5,027)		(13,874)
Net loss attributable to Class A and Class B common stockholders		(34,903)		(181,560)
Restatement Impacts
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		4,859		(70,156)
Cost of revenue		4,035		(52,923)
Gross profit		824		(17,233)
Research and development		0		0
Sales and marketing		43		62
General and administrative		0		0
Total operating expenses		43		62
Loss from operations		781		(17,295)
Interest income		0		0
Interest expense		(6,043)		(17,878)
Interest expense to related parties		0		0
Other income (expense), net		0		0
Gain (loss) on revaluation of embedded derivatives		(540)		(1,620)
Loss before income taxes		(5,802)		(36,793)
Income tax provision		0		0
Net income (loss)		(5,802)		(36,793)
Less: net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests		0		0
Net loss attributable to Class A and Class B common stockholders		(5,802)		(36,793)
Restatement Impacts | Grid Pricing Escalation
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on revaluation of embedded derivatives		500		1,600
Restatement Impacts | Immaterial Misstatements
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cost of revenue		600		2,100
Product
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue	131,076	163,902	346,832	398,909
Cost of revenue	72,037	91,697	227,653	293,697
Product | Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		(17,422)		(33,120)
Cost of revenue		(274)		(241)
Product | As Previously Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		182,616		504,249
Cost of revenue		94,056		350,008
Product | Restatement Impacts
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		(1,292)		(72,220)
Cost of revenue		(2,085)		(56,070)
Product | Restatement Impacts | Depreciation Of Energy Servers
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cost of revenue		(1,100)		(56,700)
Product | Restatement Impacts | Capitalized Stock-Based Compensation
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cost of revenue		(1,000)		600
Installation
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue	26,603	21,102	73,060	46,397
Cost of revenue	27,872	26,141	86,938	59,586
Installation | Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		2,552		5,399
Cost of revenue		0		0
Installation | As Previously Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		19,010		58,553
Cost of revenue		26,162		72,444
Installation | Restatement Impacts
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		(460)		(17,555)
Cost of revenue		(21)		(12,858)
Installation | Restatement Impacts | Depreciation Of Energy Servers
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cost of revenue		(600)		(15,000)
Service
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue	26,141	23,665	77,496	70,158
Cost of revenue	33,214	36,427	92,836	83,111
Service | Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		847		1,551
Cost of revenue		(2,185)		(4,908)
Service | As Previously Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		23,597		70,546
Cost of revenue		36,539		83,695
Service | Restatement Impacts
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		(779)		(1,939)
Cost of revenue		2,073		4,324
Service | Restatement Impacts | Grid Pricing Escalation
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cost of revenue		(100)		(300)
Service | Restatement Impacts | Capitalized Stock-Based Compensation
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cost of revenue		2,200		4,600
Electricity
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue	16,485	15,638	47,472	56,170
Cost of revenue	$ 11,195	27,317	$ 35,266	62,601
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		8,248		34,612
Cost of revenue		23,249		50,920
Electricity | Restatement Impacts
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Total revenue		7,390		21,558
Cost of revenue		4,068		11,681
Electricity | Restatement Impacts | Depreciation Of Energy Servers
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cost of revenue		$ 4,000		$ 11,600