Debt and Credit Sources (Details)				1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Aug. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 23, 2017 USD ($)	May 31, 2010 USD ($) installment	Apr. 03, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) MW	Jan. 01, 2017 USD ($) MW	Dec. 29, 2013 MW	Aug. 10, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 01, 2018	Oct. 27, 2017 USD ($)	May 31, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 29, 2016 USD ($)	May 04, 2016 USD ($)	Feb. 17, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 29, 2014 USD ($) $ / shares	Jul. 31, 2013 USD ($)	May 31, 2013 USD ($) $ / shares	May 01, 2013 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 USD ($)	Jan. 02, 2011 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face Value						$ 904,073,000	$ 1,621,766,000
Short-term						39,500,000	356,816,000
Long-term						856,692,000	1,244,126,000
Debt instruments, carrying value						896,192,000	1,600,942,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
2019						39,679,000
2020						3,326,000
2021						400,659,000
2022						694,000
2023						425,732,000
Thereafter						33,983,000
Face Value						904,073,000	1,621,766,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Carrying Value	[1]					818,356,000	816,454,000
Debt instrument, face value						904,073,000	1,621,766,000
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Revolver outstanding						0	0
Non-recourse debt						75,000,000
Long-term debt						40,528,000	430,634,000
Repayments of debt						17,358,000	6,888,000	$ 37,932,000
Proceeds from (repayments of) debt						126,020,000	527,897,000	738,822,000
Net Contributions from non-controlling interests						129,300,000	179,200,000
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest - leasing operations						106,400,000	91,200,000
Noncontrolling interests						58,810,000	119,415,000
Assumption of project loan by customer					$ 27,300,000	$ 27,321,000	196,104,000	$ 0
CEDA Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate																									8.50%
4.00% debentures due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face Value																		$ 425,000,000
Interest rate						4.00%												4.00%
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Face Value																		$ 425,000,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value																		$ 425,000,000
Debt instrument, convertible, conversion price (in dollars per share) | $ / shares																		$ 30.53
0.875% debentures due 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face Value																				$ 400,000,000
Interest rate						0.875%													0.875%	0.875%
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Face Value																				$ 400,000,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value																				$ 400,000,000
Debt instrument, convertible, conversion price (in dollars per share) | $ / shares																				$ 48.76
0.75% debentures due 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face Value																						$ 300,000,000
Interest rate						0.75%					0.75%											0.75%
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Face Value																						$ 300,000,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value																						$ 300,000,000
Debt instrument, convertible, conversion price (in dollars per share) | $ / shares																						$ 24.95
CEDA Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face Value							30,000,000																		$ 30,000,000
Short-term						$ 0	0
Long-term						29,063,000	28,538,000
Debt instruments, carrying value						29,063,000	28,538,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Face Value							30,000,000																		30,000,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value							30,000,000																		$ 30,000,000
Debt, fair value						32,400,000
Other Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face Value						49,073,000	466,766,000
Short-term						39,500,000	57,131,000
Long-term						9,273,000	399,134,000
Debt instruments, carrying value						48,773,000	456,265,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Face Value						49,073,000	466,766,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value						49,073,000	466,766,000
IFC Mortgage Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face Value				$ 75,000,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Face Value				75,000,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value				$ 75,000,000
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							0
July 2013 Credit Agricole Syndicated Revolver | Line of Credit | Credit Agricole
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Line of credit facility, current borrowing capacity																	$ 300,000,000.0				$ 250,000,000
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 | Letter of Credit | Credit Agricole
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Liquidity support facility, maximum capacity																	$ 200,000,000.0
June 2017 Credit Agricole Syndicated Revolver | Line of Credit | Credit Agricole
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Liquidity support facility, maximum capacity			$ 300,000,000.0
Commitment fee percentage			0.50%
Guaranty fee percentage			2.35%
Borrowing limit, percentage of guaranteed amount			95.00%
June 2017 Credit Agricole Syndicated Revolver | Letter of Credit | Credit Agricole
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Liquidity support facility, maximum capacity			$ 100,000,000.0										$ 100,000,000.0
June 2016 Letter of Credit | Letter of Credit
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Equity method investment, aggregate cost						36,300,000	173,700,000
June 2016 Letter of Credit | Letter of Credit | Credit Agricole
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Liquidity support facility, maximum capacity														$ 75,000,000.0
June 2016 Letter of Credit | Letter of Credit | Deutsche Bank
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Liquidity support facility, maximum capacity														50,000,000.0
Letters of credit outstanding, amount						18,100,000	30,100,000
June 2016 Letter of Credit | Letter of Credit | Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Liquidity support facility, maximum capacity														75,000,000.0
June 2016 Letter of Credit | Letter of Credit | HSBC
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Liquidity support facility, maximum capacity														$ 175,000,000.0
August 2011 Letter of Credit | Letter of Credit | Deutsche Bank
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Letters of credit outstanding, amount															$ 0
September 2011 Letter of Credit | Letter of Credit | Deutsche Bank
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Liquidity support facility, maximum capacity																								$ 200,000,000
Letters of credit outstanding, amount						3,000,000	7,100,000
Construction Revolver
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face Value						0
Debt instruments, carrying value						0	3,240,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Face Value						0
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value						0
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Proceeds from (repayments of) debt							(9,100,000)
Construction Revolver | Mizuho and Goldman Sachs
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Liquidity support facility, maximum capacity																$ 200,000,000
Letter of credit, additional borrowing capacity																$ 100,000,000
1st Amendment | Mizuho and Goldman Sachs
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Liquidity support facility, maximum capacity												$ 50,000,000
Mezzanine Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face Value										$ 110,500,000.0
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Face Value										110,500,000.0
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value										110,500,000.0
Debt issuance costs, net										$ 1,400,000
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Long-term debt		$ 106,958,000
Repayments of debt		$ 2,100,000
Bridge Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instruments, carrying value						0	17,068,000
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Repayments of debt						1,600,000
Proceeds from (repayments of) debt							10,300,000
Residential Lease Program
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instruments, carrying value						0	356,622,000
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Proceeds from (repayments of) debt						176,600,000	72,400,000
Boulder power plant
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instruments, carrying value						0	28,168,000
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Plant, power (in MW) | MW								125
Unsecured Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face Value						6,650,000	7,161,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Face Value						6,650,000	7,161,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, face value						6,650,000	7,161,000
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Plant, power (in MW) | MW									5.4
Gala
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Proceeds from (repayments of) debt							$ (106,000,000)
Plant, power (in MW) | MW							70
El Pelicano
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Plant, power (in MW) | MW								111
Convertible Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face Value						825,000,000	$ 1,125,000,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Face Value						825,000,000	1,125,000,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Carrying Value						818,356,000	1,116,139,000
Debt instrument, face value						825,000,000	1,125,000,000
Fair Value						648,872,000	982,844,000
Convertible Debt | 4.00% debentures due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face Value						425,000,000	425,000,000
Short-term						0	0
Long-term						419,958,000	418,715,000
Debt instruments, carrying value						419,958,000	418,715,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Face Value						425,000,000	425,000,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Carrying Value						419,958,000	418,715,000
Debt instrument, face value						425,000,000	425,000,000
Fair Value						341,968,000	368,399,000
Convertible Debt | 0.875% debentures due 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face Value						400,000,000	400,000,000
Short-term						0	0
Long-term						398,398,000	397,739,000
Debt instruments, carrying value						398,398,000	397,739,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Face Value						400,000,000	400,000,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Carrying Value						398,398,000	397,739,000
Debt instrument, face value						400,000,000	400,000,000
Fair Value						306,904,000	315,132,000
Convertible Debt | 0.75% debentures due 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face Value						0	300,000,000																$ 300,000,000
Short-term						0	299,685,000
Long-term						0	0
Debt instruments, carrying value						0	299,685,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Face Value						0	300,000,000																300,000,000
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Carrying Value						0	299,685,000
Debt instrument, face value						0	300,000,000																$ 300,000,000
Fair Value						$ 0	$ 299,313,000
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) | July 2013 Credit Agricole Syndicated Revolver | Line of Credit | Credit Agricole
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate			0.60%
Prime Rate | July 2013 Credit Agricole Syndicated Revolver | Line of Credit | Credit Agricole
Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate			0.25%
Alternate Base Rate | June 2017 Credit Agricole Syndicated Revolver | Line of Credit | Credit Agricole
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Commitment fee percentage			0.06%
Minimum
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Debt instrument, term						4 years
Maximum
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Debt instrument, term						25 years

[1] We have related-party balances for transactions made with Total S.A. and its affiliates as well as unconsolidated entities in which we have a direct equity investment. These related-party balances are recorded within the "Accounts receivable, net," "Contract assets," "Project assets - plants and land, current portion," "Prepaid expenses and other current assets," "Other long-term assets," "Accounts payable," "Accrued liabilities," "Contract liabilities, current portion," "Convertible debt, current portion," "Convertible debt, net of current portion," "Contract liabilities, net of current portion," and "Other long-term liabilities" financial statement line items in our Consolidated Balance Sheets (see Note 2, Note 8, Note 10, Note 11, Note 12, and Note 13).