Represents the estimated rate of return of a short-term investment.

No definition available.

Name:	spi_ShortTermInvestmentEstimatedRateOfReturn
Namespace Prefix:	spi_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Short term investment maturity date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	spi_ShortTermInvestmentMaturityDate
Namespace Prefix:	spi_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount before accretion (amortization) of purchase discount (premium) of interest income on nonoperating securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.7(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Reflects the total carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of debt having initial terms less than one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.13)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.(a),16(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph 2, 3
-Article 9

+ Details

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

- Definition

Investments which are intended to be sold in the short term (usually less than one year or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer) including trading securities, available-for-sale securities, held-to-maturity securities, and other short-term investments not otherwise listed in the existing taxonomy.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph g
-Article 7

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	invest_InvestmentSectorAxis=spi_ProductOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	invest_InvestmentSectorAxis=spi_ProductTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsCashAndCashEquivalentsAxis=spi_GuaranteeDepositMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=spi_SolarTaxPartners1LLCMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Short-term Investments - Additional Information (Detail) $ in Thousands, ¥ in Millions	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 CNY (¥)	Dec. 31, 2014 CNY (¥)	Nov. 30, 2014 CNY (¥)
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Short-term investments	$ 27,354		$ 27,354			¥ 170
Short-term debt		$ 160,400	48,286
Investment income interest		2,218	1,212
Financial product one
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Short-term investments			19,309		¥ 120
Short-term investment, estimated rate of return	4.50%
Short-term debt			5,506		¥ 35
Financial product two
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Short-term investment, estimated rate of return	5.00%
Guarantee Deposit
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Short-term debt		48,192		¥ 312
Solar Tax Partners 1 L L C \| Guarantee Deposit \| Financial product two
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investment income interest		$ 488	$ 144
Short term investment maturity date			Dec. 31, 2015