Commitments and Contingencies - Minimum Lease Payments (Details) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($)
Future Minimum Lease Payments Under Operating Leases
Remainder of 2020	$ 2,292
2021	9,848
2022	6,076
2023	6,195
2024	6,380
Thereafter	23,931
Total operating leases, future minimum payments due	54,722
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Net Minimum Payments, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Remainder of 2020	9,843
2021	39,898
2022	40,878
2023	41,806
2024	39,693
Thereafter	122,376
Total lease payments	294,494
Less: imputed interest	(172,699)
Total lease obligations	121,795
Less: current obligations	(12,342)
Long-term lease obligations	109,453
Future Minimum Sublease Rentals, Sale Leaseback Transactions, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Remainder of 2020	(9,843)
2021	(39,898)
2022	(40,878)
2023	(41,806)
2024	(39,693)
Thereafter	(122,376)
Total lease payments	$ (294,494)

Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due After Year Four

No definition available.

Name:	be_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueAfterYearFour
Namespace Prefix:	be_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due After Year Four Thereafter

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	be_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueAfterYearFourThereafter
Namespace Prefix:	be_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount equal to the present value (the principal) at the beginning of the lease term of minimum lease payments during the lease term (excluding that portion of the payments representing executory costs such as insurance, maintenance, and taxes to be paid by the lessor, together with any profit thereon) net of payments or other amounts applied to the principal through the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400017&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121616839&loc=d3e45280-112737

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of capital lease obligation due within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121569800&loc=d3e45023-112735

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121616839&loc=d3e45280-112737

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(19))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121616839&loc=d3e45280-112737

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121569800&loc=d3e45023-112735

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of minimum lease payments for capital leases.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121616839&loc=d3e45280-112737

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of minimum lease payments for capital leases due in the next fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of minimum lease payments for capital leases due in the fourth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFourYears
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of minimum lease payments for capital leases due in the third fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInThreeYears
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of minimum lease payments for capital leases due in the second fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInTwoYears
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount necessary to reduce net minimum lease payments to present value for capital leases.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsInterestIncludedInPayments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsNetMinimumPaymentsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of minimum lease payments to be received by the lessor for capital leases.

+ References