Debt and Credit Sources (Details)		1 Months Ended				3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
		Jan. 03, 2016 USD ($) shares	Jun. 29, 2014 USD ($) shares	May. 31, 2013 USD ($) shares $ / shares	May. 31, 2010 USD ($) installment	Apr. 03, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares		Mar. 29, 2015 USD ($)	Jan. 02, 2011 USD ($) $ / shares	Dec. 28, 2014 USD ($) $ / shares	Jun. 28, 2015 shares	Feb. 28, 2012 $ / shares shares
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face value		$ 1,623,463,000				$ 1,686,713,000
Short-term		19,636,000				62,207,000
Long-term		1,585,497,000				1,604,911,000
Debt instruments, carrying value		1,605,133,000				1,667,118,000
Net Contributions from non-controlling interests						18,800,000		$ 43,600,000
Sale Leaseback Transaction, Other Payments Required						37,301,000		90,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
2015						53,391,000
2016						34,564,000
2017						334,750,000
2018						20,198,000
2019						29,841,000
Thereafter						1,213,969,000
Debt instrument, face value		1,623,463,000				1,686,713,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Convertible Debt, Noncurrent		1,110,960,000				1,111,466,000	[1]
Debt instrument, face value		1,623,463,000				1,686,713,000
Repayments of Convertible Debt						0		324,273,000
Non-cash interest expense						346,000		4,680,000
Proceeds from settlement of 4.50% Bond Hedge						$ 0		$ 74,628,000
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Line of Credit Facility, Increase (Decrease) for Period, Description						37606		0
Proceeds from issuance of non-recourse residential financing, net of issuance costs						$ 28,339,000		$ 0
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Debt						79,440,000		90,718,000
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest - leasing operations						(16,700,000)		(19,600,000)
Noncontrolling interests		128,594,000				$ 131,359,000
CEDA Loan [Member]
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Interest rate						8.50%
California power plant [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instruments, carrying value		0				$ 84,300,000
California Henrietta power plant [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instruments, carrying value		216,700,000				216,700,000
Colorado power plant [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instruments, carrying value		37,300,000				0
Residential Lease Program [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instruments, carrying value		171,800,000				176,300,000
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Debt						3,200,000		(400,000)
Unsecured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face value		8,113,000				8,081,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value		8,113,000				8,081,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value		8,113,000				8,081,000
0.875% debentures due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face value		400,000,000	$ 400,000,000			400,000,000
Short-term		0				0
Long-term		396,424,000				396,584,000
Debt instruments, carrying value		396,424,000				396,584,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value		400,000,000	400,000,000			400,000,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value		400,000,000	$ 400,000,000			$ 400,000,000
Interest rate			0.875%			0.875%
Debt instrument, convertible, conversion price (in dollars per share) | $ / shares						$ 48.76
4.00% debentures due 2023 [Member] [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face value		425,000,000				$ 425,000,000
Short-term		0				0
Long-term		416,369,000				416,525,000
Debt instruments, carrying value		416,369,000				416,525,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value		425,000,000				425,000,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value		$ 425,000,000				$ 425,000,000
Interest rate		4.00%				4.00%
Debt instrument, convertible, conversion price (in dollars per share) | $ / shares						$ 30.53
0.75% debentures due 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face value		$ 300,000,000		$ 300,000,000		$ 300,000,000
Short-term		0				0
Long-term		298,167,000				298,357,000
Debt instruments, carrying value		298,167,000				298,357,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value		300,000,000		300,000,000		300,000,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value		300,000,000		$ 300,000,000		$ 300,000,000
Interest rate				0.75%		0.75%
Debt instrument, convertible, conversion price (in dollars per share) | $ / shares				$ 24.95		$ 24.95
4.50% debentures due 2015 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face value									$ 250,000,000.0
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value									250,000,000.0
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value									$ 250,000,000.0
Interest rate						4.50%
4.50% debentures due 2015 [Member] | Cash Conversion Option [Member]
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Exercise price (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	[2]								$ 22.53
4.50% debentures due 2015 [Member] | Bond Hedge [Member]
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Interest rate										4.50%
Exercise price (in dollars per share) | $ / shares										$ 22.53
Recognized non-cash loss								(52,000,000)
4.50% debentures due 2015 [Member] | Warrants (Under the CSO2015) [Member]
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Recognized non-cash loss								52,000,000
4.75% debentures due 2014 [Member] | Bond Hedge [Member]
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Interest rate										4.75%
4.75% debentures due 2014 [Member] | Bond Hedge [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Warrant or right, number of securities called by each warrant or right (in shares) | shares											11,100,000
IFC Mortgage Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face value		32,500,000			$ 75,000,000	$ 25,000,000
Short-term		14,994,000				14,993,000
Long-term		16,778,000				9,366,000
Debt instruments, carrying value		31,772,000				24,359,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value		32,500,000			75,000,000	25,000,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value		32,500,000			$ 75,000,000	25,000,000
Debt instrument, delayed repayment, deferment term					2 years
Debt instrument, number of installment payments | installment					10
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate					3.00%
Debt instrument, borrowing fee, percent of principal					1.00%
Debt instrument, commitment fee					0.50%
Debt instrument, prepayment premium					1.00%
Restricted cash and cash equivalents						9,200,000				$ 9,200,000
CEDA Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face value		30,000,000				30,000,000
Short-term		0				0
Long-term		27,778,000				27,898,000
Debt instruments, carrying value		27,778,000				27,898,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value		30,000,000				30,000,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value		30,000,000				30,000,000
Other Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face value	[3]	435,963,000				506,713,000
Short-term	[3]	4,642,000				47,214,000
Long-term	[3]	429,981,000				456,181,000
Debt instruments, carrying value	[3]	434,623,000				503,395,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value	[3]	435,963,000				506,713,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value	[3]	435,963,000				506,713,000
July 2013 Credit Agricole Syndicated Revolver [Member] | Letter of Credit [Member] | Credit Agricole [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Liquidity support facility, maximum capacity						200,000,000.0
July 2013 Credit Agricole Syndicated Revolver [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | Credit Agricole [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Line of credit facility, current borrowing capacity						250,000,000
Liquidity support facility, maximum capacity						$ 300,000,000
Line of credit facility, basis spread on federal funds rate, period two						0.50%
Line of credit facility, basis spread on libor rate, period two						1.00%
July 2013 Credit Agricole Syndicated Revolver [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | Credit Agricole [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Line of credit facility, basis spread on base loan, period two						0.50%
Line of credit facility, unused capacity, commitment fee percentage, period two						0.25%
Line of credit facility, basis spread, period two						1.50%
July 2013 Credit Agricole Syndicated Revolver [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | Credit Agricole [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Line of credit facility, basis spread on base loan, period two						1.00%
Line of credit facility, unused capacity, commitment fee percentage, period two						0.35%
Line of credit facility, basis spread, period two						2.00%
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Letter of Credit [Member] | Mizuho [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Liquidity support facility, maximum capacity						$ 200,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Letter of Credit [Member] | Line of Credit [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Liquidity support facility, maximum capacity						100,000,000
August 2011 Letter of Credit [Member] | Letter of Credit [Member] | Deutsche Bank [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Letter of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity, in 2015						936,000,000
Letter of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity, in 2016						1,000,000,000
Letters of Credit outstanding, amount		294,500,000				266,400,000
September 2011 Letter of Credit [Member] | Letter of Credit [Member] | Deutsche Bank [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Liquidity support facility, maximum capacity		200,000,000
Letters of Credit outstanding, amount		8,600,000				8,800,000
Bridge Loans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instruments, carrying value		0				18,400,000
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Debt						17,000,000
Residential Lease Program [Member] [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instruments, carrying value		$ 36,784,000				42,740,000
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Debt						7,100,000		$ (10,500,000)
Total [Member] | 0.875% debentures due 2021 [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Number of Equity Instruments | shares			5,126,775
Total [Member] | 4.00% debentures due 2023 [Member] [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Number of Equity Instruments | shares		3,275,680
Total [Member] | 0.75% debentures due 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face value				$ 200,000,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value				200,000,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value				$ 200,000,000
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Number of Equity Instruments | shares				8,017,420
Warrant (Under the CSO2014) [Member]
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Class of warrant or right, exercise price of warrants or rights (in dollars per share) | $ / shares										$ 24.00
Interest rate										4.75%
Warrants (Under the CSO2015) [Member]
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Interest rate		4.50%
Upfront Warrants (held by Total) [Member] | Total [Member]
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Warrant or right, number of securities called by each warrant or right (in shares) | shares												9,531,677
Class of warrant or right, exercise price of warrants or rights (in dollars per share) | $ / shares												$ 7.8685
Convertible Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face value		$ 1,125,000,000				1,125,000,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value		1,125,000,000				1,125,000,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Convertible Debt, Noncurrent		1,110,960,000				1,111,466,000
Debt instrument, face value		1,125,000,000				1,125,000,000
Fair Value	[4]	1,253,195,000				1,063,843,000
Convertible Debt [Member] | 0.875% debentures due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face value		400,000,000				400,000,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value		400,000,000				400,000,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Convertible Debt, Noncurrent		396,424,000				396,584,000
Debt instrument, face value		400,000,000				400,000,000
Fair Value	[4]	340,500,000				310,180,000
Convertible Debt [Member] | 4.00% debentures due 2023 [Member] [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face value		425,000,000				425,000,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value		425,000,000				425,000,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Convertible Debt, Noncurrent		416,369,000				416,525,000
Debt instrument, face value		425,000,000				425,000,000
Fair Value	[4]	515,903,000				432,663,000
Convertible Debt [Member] | 0.75% debentures due 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face value		300,000,000				300,000,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value		300,000,000				300,000,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Convertible Debt, Noncurrent		298,167,000				298,357,000
Debt instrument, face value		300,000,000				300,000,000
Fair Value	[4]	$ 396,792,000				321,000,000
Total [Member] | 0.875% debentures due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face value			$ 250,000,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value			250,000,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value			$ 250,000,000
Total [Member] | 4.00% debentures due 2023 [Member] [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face value						100,000,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value						100,000,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value						$ 100,000,000

[1] 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," "Project assets - plants and land, current portion," "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 6, Note 9, Note 10, and Note 11).

[2] {F|ahBzfndlYmZpbGluZ3MtaHJkcmoLEgZYTUxEb2MiXlhCUkxEb2NHZW5JbmZvOjE5NDdmY2IxNDJkYTRiZjk4YTIxYzY3NTg3MTVjZWU2fFRleHRTZWxlY3Rpb246RTJCODMzNUZFRUU4QjAxODk2RUZBMDJGRjk4RjgyMzYM}

[3] Other debt excludes payments related to capital leases, which are disclosed in Note 8.

[4] The fair value of the convertible debt was determined using Level 2 inputs based on quarterly market prices as reported by an independent pricing source.