Balance Sheet Components (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Jun. 28, 2015		Mar. 29, 2015	Dec. 28, 2014	Jun. 29, 2014	Mar. 30, 2014
Accounts receivable, net:
Accounts receivable, gross	[1],[2]	$ 453,853			$ 523,613
Less: allowance for doubtful accounts		(18,432)			(18,152)
Less: allowance for sales returns		(1,794)			(1,145)
Accounts receivable, net		433,627	[3]		504,316
Short-term financing receivable		(9,389)			(9,141)
Short-term retainage		243,800			213,000
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Raw materials		85,512			46,848
Work-in-process		116,364			67,903
Finished goods		108,556			93,822
Inventories		310,432			208,573
Prepaid Expense and Other Assets, Current [Abstract]
Deferred project costs		55,213			64,784
Bond hedge derivative		0			51,951
VAT receivables, current portion		8,607			7,554
Deferred costs for solar power systems to be leased		29,852			22,537
Derivative financial instruments		1,907			7,018
Prepaid inventory		5,085			0
Other receivables		74,370			79,927
Other prepaid expenses		64,053			47,448
Other current assets		15,265			47,626
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		254,352	[3]		328,845
Project Assets [Abstract]
Project assets — plants		410,581			104,328
Project assets — land		12,060			12,328
Project assets - plants and land		422,641			116,656
Project assets - plants and land, current portion		379,900			101,181
Project assets - plants and land, net of current portion		42,741			15,475
Property, plant and equipment, net:
Manufacturing equipment		565,813	[4]		554,124
Land and buildings		26,138			26,138
Leasehold improvements		241,764			236,867
Solar power systems		140,678	[5]		124,848
Computer equipment		94,486			88,257
Furniture and fixtures		9,892			9,436
Construction-in-process		137,359			75,570
Property, plant and equipment, gross		1,216,130			1,115,240
Less: accumulated depreciation		(572,218)			(529,896)
Property, plant and equipment, net		643,912	[6]		585,344
Pledged Assets, Other, Not Separately Reported on Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Solar power systems, sale leaseback		110,400			94,400
Property, plant and equipment, net by geography:
Property, plant and equipment, net		643,912	[6]		585,344
Other Assets, Noncurrent [Abstract]
Equity method investments		283,225			210,898
Cost method investments		36,378			32,308
Other		71,509			57,023
Other long-term assets		391,960	[3]		300,229
Accrued Liabilities, Current [Abstract]
Bond hedge derivatives		0			51,951
Employee compensation and employee benefits		41,923			47,667
Deferred revenue		22,835			33,412
Short-term residential lease financing		0			1,489
Interest payable		5,038			10,575
Short-term warranty reserves		12,184			13,278
Restructuring reserve		4,278			13,477
VAT payables		7,797			6,073
Derivative financial instruments		4,443			1,345
Inventory payable		5,084			0
Short-term residential lease financing with 8point3 Energy Partners		4,220			0
Proceeds from 8point3 Energy Partners IPO attributable to pre-COD projects		301,746			0
Other		141,408			151,767
Accrued liabilities		550,956			331,034
Other Liabilities, Noncurrent [Abstract]
Deferred revenue		180,176			176,804
Long-term warranty reserves		144,347			141,370
Long-term sale-leaseback financing		127,925			111,904
Long-term residential lease financing		0			27,122
Long-term residential lease financing with 8point3 Energy Partners		25,149			0
Unrecognized Tax Benefits Including Income Tax Penalties And Interest Accrued, Non-Current		20,128			31,764
Long-term pension liability		11,571			9,980
Derivative financial instruments		470			3,712
Other		25,672			52,688
Other long-term liabilities		535,438			555,344
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Abstract]
Cumulative translation adjustment		(10,473)			(8,712)
Net unrealized loss on derivatives		(635)		$ (5,631)	(1,443)	$ (448)	$ (420)
Net loss on long-term pension liability adjustment		(2,878)			(2,878)
Deferred taxes		35			(422)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(13,951)			(13,455)
IFC Mortgage Loan [Member]
Pledged Assets, Other, Not Separately Reported on Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Collateralized Equipment		100,100			111,900
UNITED STATES
Property, plant and equipment, net:
Property, plant and equipment, net		196,017	[6]		183,631
Property, plant and equipment, net by geography:
Property, plant and equipment, net		196,017	[6]		183,631
PHILIPPINES
Property, plant and equipment, net:
Property, plant and equipment, net		382,485	[6]		335,643
Property, plant and equipment, net by geography:
Property, plant and equipment, net		382,485	[6]		335,643
MEXICO
Property, plant and equipment, net:
Property, plant and equipment, net		39,511	[6]		40,251
Property, plant and equipment, net by geography:
Property, plant and equipment, net		39,511	[6]		40,251
Europe [Member]
Property, plant and equipment, net:
Property, plant and equipment, net		23,258	[6]		24,748
Property, plant and equipment, net by geography:
Property, plant and equipment, net		23,258	[6]		24,748
UNKNOWN COUNTRY
Property, plant and equipment, net:
Property, plant and equipment, net		2,641	[6]		1,071
Property, plant and equipment, net by geography:
Property, plant and equipment, net		2,641	[6]		1,071
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments [Member] | Interest Rate Contract [Member] | Other Noncurrent Assets [Member]
Other Assets, Noncurrent [Abstract]
Derivative Instruments and Hedges, Noncurrent		$ 848			$ 0

[1] Includes short-term financing receivables associated with solar power systems leased of $9.4 million and $9.1 million as of June 28, 2015 and December 28, 2014, respectively (see Note 6).

[2] Includes short-term retainage of $243.8 million and $213.0 million as of June 28, 2015 and December 28, 2014, respectively. Retainage refers to the earned, but unbilled, portion of a construction and development project for which payment is deferred by the customer until certain contractual milestones are met.

[3] The Company has related-party balances for transactions made with Total and its affiliates as well as unconsolidated entities in which the Company has a direct equity investment. These related-party balances are recorded within the "Accounts Receivable, net," "Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings," "Prepaid expenses and other current assets," "Other long-term assets," "Accounts payable," "Accrued Liabilities," "Customer advances, current portion," "Convertible debt, net of current portion," and "Customer advances, net of current portion" financial statement line items in the Consolidated Balance Sheets (see Note 2, Note 3, Note 7, Note 10, Note 11, and Note 12).

[4] 3 The Company's mortgage loan agreement with International Finance Corporation ("IFC") is collateralized by certain manufacturing equipment with a net book value of $100.1 million and $111.9 million as of June 28, 2015 and December 28, 2014, respectively.

[5] Includes $110.4 million and $94.4 million of solar power systems associated with sale-leaseback transactions under the financing method as of June 28, 2015 and December 28, 2014, respectively, which are depreciated using the straight-line method to their estimated residual values over the lease terms of up to 20 years (see Note 6).

[6] Property, plant and equipment, net by geography is based on the physical location of the assets.