2.2.0.25falsefalse2202201 - Disclosure - Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)truefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2011 - 3/31/2011 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $D2011Q1http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001274494duration2011-01-01T00:00:002011-03-31T00:00:00usdStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepure0sharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0usdPerShareDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2true0fslr_SummaryOfSignificantAccountingPoliciesNoteAbstractfslrfalsenadurationSignificant accounting policies note.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringSignificant accounting policies note.falsefalseSummary of Significant Accounting Policies Note [Abstract]3false0us-gaap_InventoryForLongTermContractsOrProgramsDescriptionus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:25px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">Balance of Systems Parts. </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Balance of systems parts</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;"> </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">represent construction parts purchased for solar power plants under construction, which we hold title of and are not yet installed in a solar power plant. These parts include posts, tilt brackets, cartridges, inverters, and any other parts we purchase or assemble for the solar power plants we construct. Balance of systems parts do not include solar modules. We report these parts at the lower of cost or market, with market being based on either recoverability through installation in a solar power plant under construction or through a sale.  </font></div></div>Balance of Systems Parts. Balance of systems parts represent construction parts purchased for solar power plants under construction, which we hold title of andfalsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringDescription of inventories, or other deferred costs, associated with long-term contracts or programs at the balance sheet date including the disclosure of the amount of and types of deferred costs recorded; principal assumptions where average costs per unit is used; inventories held associated with customer claims; amount of progress payments netted against recorded inventory; or other deferred costs recorded; and unrecovered production costs.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 6 -Article 5 falsefalseInventory for Long-term Contracts Policy4false0us-gaap_RevenueRecognitionMultipleElementArrangementsOtherus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:26px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">Revenue Recognition - Systems Business</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">. Our systems business provides a complete solar power system solution, which includes project development, engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services, operating and maintenance (O&M) services, when applicable, and project finance, when required. </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:26px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:26px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">We base revenue recognition for arrangements entered into by the systems business generally using two revenue recognition models, following the guidance in ASC 605, </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">Accounting for Long-term Construction Contracts</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> or, for arrangements which include land, ASC 360, </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">Accounting for Sales of Real Estate. </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:26px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:26px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">For construction contracts that do not involve land or land rights and thus are accounted for under ASC 605, we use the percentage-of-completion method using actual costs incurred over total estimated costs to complete a project (including module costs) as our basic accounting policy, unless we cannot make reasonably dependable estimates of the costs to complete the contract, in which case we would use the completed contract method. We periodically revise our contract cost and profit estimates and we immediately recognize any losses that we identify on contracts. Incurred costs include all direct materials, costs for solar modules, labor, subcontractor costs, and those indirect costs related to contract performance, such as indirect labor, supplies, and tools. We recognize direct material costs as incurred costs when the direct materials have been installed. When contracts specify that title to direct materials transfers to the customer before installation has been performed, we defer revenue and associated costs and recognize them once those materials are installed and have met any other revenue recognition requirements. We consider direct materials to be installed when they are permanently attached or fitted to the solar power systems as required by engineering designs.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:26px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:26px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">For arrangements recognized under ASC 360, typically when we have gained control of land or land rights, we record the sale as revenue after construction of a project is complete, we have transferred the usual risks and rewards of ownership to the buyer, and we have received payment from the buyer. We apply the percentage-of-completion method to certain contracts covered under ASC 360, when the sale has been consummated, the initial or continuing investment criteria have been met, we have the ability to estimate our costs and progress toward completion, and other revenue recognition criteria have been met. Depending on the value of the initial and continuing payment commitment by the buyer, we generally align our revenue recognition and release of project assets to cost of sales with the receipt of payment from the buyer for contracts accounted for under ASC 360.</font></div></div>Revenue Recognition - Systems Business. Our systems business provides a complete solar power system solution, which includes project development, engineering,falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringDescribes (1) an entity's accounting policy for revenue recognition for multiple-deliverable arrangements other than software; and (2) the nature of such arrangements, including performance-, cancellation-, termination- or refund-type provisions. The accounting policy should state the accounting policy for each unit of accounting and how units of accounting are determined and valued.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 13 -Section B -Paragraph Question 1 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) -Number 00-21 -Paragraph 18 falsefalseRevenue Recognition Policy5false0fslr_AdoptionOfAsu201028AndItsImpactTextBlockfslrfalsenadurationAdoption of ASU 2010-28 And Its Impact [Text Block].falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">In December 2010, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2010-28, </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">When to Perform Step 2 of the Goodwill Impairment Test for Reporting Units with Zero or Negative Carrying Amounts. </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">This ASU amends guidance for Step 1 of the goodwill impairment test for reporting units with zero or negative carrying amounts. For those reporting units, an entity is required to perform Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test if it is more likely than not that a goodwill impairment exists. ASU 2010-28 is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2010, with early adoption not permitted. The adoption of ASU 2010-28 during the three months ended March 31, 2011 did not have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.</font></div></div>In December 2010, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2010-28, When to Perform Step 2 of the GoodwillfalsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:textBlockItemTypestringAdoption of ASU 2010-28 And Its Impact [Text Block].No authoritative reference available.falsefalseAdoption of ASU 2010-28 And Its Impact6false0fslr_AdoptionOfAsu201029AndItsImpactTextBlockfslrfalsenadurationAdoption of ASU 2010-29 And Its Impact [Text Block].falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">In December 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-29, </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">Disclosure of Supplementary Pro Forma Information for Business Combinations. </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">This ASU specifies that if a public company presents comparative financial statements, the entity should only disclose revenue and earnings of the combined entity as though the business combination(s) that occurred during the current year had occurred as of the beginning of the comparable prior annual reporting period. ASU 2010-29 is effective prospectively for business combinations for which the acquisition date is on or after the beginning of the first annual reporting period beginning on or after December 15, 2010, with early adoption permitted. The adoption of ASU 2010-29 during the three months ended March 31, 2011 had no impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows, as its requirements only pertain to financial statement footnote disclosure.</font></div></div>In December 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-29, Disclosure of Supplementary Pro Forma Information for Business Combinations. This ASU specifies that if a publicfalsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:textBlockItemTypestringAdoption of ASU 2010-29 And Its Impact [Text Block].No authoritative reference available.falsefalseAdoption of ASU 2010-29 And Its Impact7false0us-gaap_GoodwillAndIntangibleAssetsPolicyTextBlockus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:25px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">ASC 350, </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">Intangibles - Goodwill and Other</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">, requires us to test goodwill for impairment at least annually, or sooner, if facts or circumstances between scheduled annual tests indicate that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit that has goodwill might be less than its carrying value. Currently our operating segments and reporting units are identical. We estimate the fair value of our reporting units by referring to the price that would be received to sell the unit as whole in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. For the goodwill assessment of our systems business, we believe that a typical market participant for the sale of our systems reporting unit would be a solar module manufacturer seeking to acquire a systems business with a large pipeline of utility-scale solar power plant projects, with the intent that these projects would provide a captive outlet for additional future solar module production. Therefore, we model the systems reporting unit's future performance for purposes of applying the income method of fair value measurement to include some of the profitability associated with the solar module element of the solar power plants that it builds and sells.</font></div></div>ASC 350, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other, requires us to test goodwill for impairment at least annually, or sooner, if facts or circumstances betweenfalsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:textBlockItemTypestringDescribes an entity's accounting policy for goodwill and intangible assets. This accounting policy also may address how an entity assesses and measures impairment of goodwill and intangible assets.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 144 -Paragraph 7-18, 22 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 142 -Paragraph 4, 11-23, 26, 34 falsefalseGoodwill Policy8false0fslr_ProjectAssetsTextBlockfslrfalsenadurationProject assets textblock.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Project assets consist primarily of costs relating to solar power projects in various stages of development that we capitalize prior to the sale of the solar power project to a third party for further project development or the signing of a project construction contract. These costs include costs for land and costs for developing and constructing a solar power plant. Development costs can include legal, consulting, permitting, and other similar costs. Once we enter into a definitive sales agreement, we reclassify project assets to deferred project costs on our balance sheet until we have met the criteria to recognize the sale of the project assets as revenue.</font></div></div><div style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:26px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">We review project assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. We consider a project commercially viable if it is anticipated to be sellable for a profit once it is either fully developed or fully constructed. We consider a partially developed or partially constructed project commercially viable if the anticipated selling price is higher than the carrying value of the related project assets. We examine a number of factors to determine if the project will be profitable, the most notable of which is whether there are any changes in environmental, ecological, permitting, or regulatory conditions that impact the project. Such changes could cause the cost of the project to increase or the selling price of the project to decrease.</font></div></div>Project assets consist primarily of costs relating to solar power projects in various stages of development that we capitalize prior to the sale of the solarfalsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:textBlockItemTypestringProject assets textblock.No authoritative reference available.falsefalseProject Assets Policy9false0us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementInputsDisclosureTextBlockus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">ASC 820, </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">, defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and provides financial statement disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. ASC 820 defines fair value as the price that would be received from the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) on the measurement date in an orderly transaction between market participants in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability. ASC 820 specifies a hierarchy of valuation techniques, which is based on whether the inputs into the valuation technique are observable or unobservable. The hierarchy is as follows:</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> </font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt; width:100%;"><tr><td style="width:48px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"/><td rowspan="1" colspan="1"/></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top;padding-left:24px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">•</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Level 1 — Valuation techniques in which all significant inputs are unadjusted quoted prices from active markets for assets or liabilities that are identical to the assets or liabilities being measured.</font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> </font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt; width:100%;"><tr><td style="width:48px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"/><td rowspan="1" colspan="1"/></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top;padding-left:24px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">•</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Level 2 — Valuation techniques in which significant inputs include quoted prices from active markets for assets or liabilities that are similar to the assets or liabilities being measured and/or quoted prices for assets or liabilities that are identical or similar to the assets or liabilities being measured from markets that are not active. Also, model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs and significant value drivers are observable in active markets are Level 2 valuation techniques.</font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> </font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt; width:100%;"><tr><td style="width:48px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"/><td rowspan="1" colspan="1"/></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top;padding-left:24px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">•</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Level 3 — Valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable. Unobservable inputs are valuation technique inputs that reflect our own assumptions about the assumptions that market participants would use to price an asset or liability.</font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">When available, we use quoted market prices to determine the fair value of an asset or liability. If quoted market prices are not available, we measure fair value using valuation techniques that use, when possible, current market-based or independently-sourced market parameters, such as interest rates and currency rates. The following is a description of the valuation techniques that we use to measure the fair value of assets and liabilities that we measure and report at fair value on a recurring or one-time basis:</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:26px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> </font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt; width:100%;"><tr><td style="width:48px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"/><td rowspan="1" colspan="1"/></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top;padding-left:24px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">•</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">Cash equivalents.</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> At </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">March 31, 2011</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">, our cash equivalents consisted of commercial paper, corporate debt securities, and money market mutual funds. At </font><font style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">December 31, 2010</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">, our cash equivalents consisted of commercial paper and money market mutual funds. We value our commercial paper and corporate debt securities cash equivalents using quoted prices for securities with similar characteristics and other observable inputs (such as interest rates that are observable at commonly quoted intervals), and accordingly, we classify the valuation techniques that use these inputs as Level 2. We value our money market cash equivalents using observable inputs that reflect quoted prices for securities with identical characteristics, and accordingly, we classify the valuation techniques that use these inputs as Level 1. </font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> </font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt; width:100%;"><tr><td style="width:48px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"/><td rowspan="1" colspan="1"/></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top;padding-left:24px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">•</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">Marketable securities, investments, and restricted investments.</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> At </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">March 31, 2011</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">, our marketable securities and investments consisted of </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">certificates of deposit, commercial paper, corporate debt securities, federal and foreign agency debt, foreign government obligations, supranational debt, and U.S. government obligations</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> and our restricted investments consisted of foreign and U.S. government obligations. At </font><font style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">December 31, 2010</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">, our marketable securities consisted of commercial paper, corporate debt securities, federal and foreign agency debt, foreign government obligations, and supranational debt and our restricted investments consisted of foreign and U.S. government obligations. We value our marketable securities, investments, and restricted investments using quoted prices for securities with similar characteristics and other observable inputs (such as interest rates that are observable at commonly quoted intervals), and accordingly, we classify the valuation techniques that use these inputs as Level 2. We also consider the effect of our counterparties' credit standings in these fair value measurements.</font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> </font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt; width:100%;"><tr><td style="width:48px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"/><td rowspan="1" colspan="1"/></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top;padding-left:24px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">•</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">Derivative assets and liabilities</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">. At </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">March 31, 2011</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> and </font><font style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">December 31, 2010</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">, our derivative assets and liabilities consisted of foreign exchange forward contracts involving major currencies and interest rate swap contracts involving benchmark interest rates. Since our derivative assets and liabilities are not traded on an exchange, we value them using industry standard valuation models. Where applicable, these models project future cash flows and discount the future amounts to a present value using market-based observable inputs including interest rate curves, credit risk, foreign exchange rates, and forward and spot prices for currencies. These inputs are observable in active markets over the terms of the instruments we hold, and accordingly, we classify these valuation techniques as Level 2. We consider the effect of our own credit standing and that of our counterparties in our valuations of our derivative assets and liabilities.</font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> </font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt; width:100%;"><tr><td style="width:48px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"/><td rowspan="1" colspan="1"/></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top;padding-left:24px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">•</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">Solar module collection and recycling liability. </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">We account for our obligation to collect and recycle the solar modules that we sell in a similar manner to the accounting for asset retirement obligations that is prescribed by ASC 410, </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">Asset Retirement and Environmental Obligations</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">. When we sell solar modules, we initially record our liability for collecting and recycling those particular solar modules at the fair value of this liability, and then in subsequent periods, we accrete this fair value to the estimated future cost of collecting and recycling the solar modules. Therefore, this is a one-time nonrecurring fair value measurement of the collection and recycling liability associated with each particular solar module sold.</font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-left:48px;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Since there is not an established market for collecting and recycling our solar modules, we value our liability using a valuation model (an income approach). This fair value measurement requires us to use significant unobservable inputs, which are primarily estimates of collection and recycling process costs and estimates of future changes in costs due to inflation and future currency exchange rates. Accordingly, we classify these valuation techniques as Level 3. We estimate collection and recycling process costs based on analyses of the collection and recycling technologies that we are currently developing; we estimate future inflation costs based on analysis of historical trends; and we estimate future currency exchange rates based on current rate information. We consider the effect of our own credit standing in our measurement of the fair value of this liability.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> </font></div></div>ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in accordance with generally acceptedfalsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:textBlockItemTypestringThis element represents the disclosure related to the fair value measurement of assets and liabilities which includes [financial] instruments measured at fair value that are classified in stockholders' equity. Such assets and liabilities may be measured on a recurring or nonrecurring basis. The disclosures which may be required or desired include: (1) for assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis, disclosure may include: (a) the fair value measurements at the reporting date; (b) the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements in their entirety fall, segregating fair value measurements using quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1), significant other observable inputs (Level 2), and significant unobservable inputs (Level 3); (c) for fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), a reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances, separately presenting changes during the period attributable to the following: (i) total gains or losses for the period (realized and unrealized), segregating those gains or losses included in earnings (or changes in net assets), and a description of where those gains or losses included in earnings (or changes in net assets) are reported in the statement of income (or activities); (ii) purchases, sales, issuances, and settlements (net); (iii) transfers in and transfers out of Level 3 (for example, transfers due to changes in the observability of significant inputs); (d) the amount of the total gains or losses for the period in subparagraph (c) (i) above included in earnings (or changes in net assets) that are attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to those assets and liabilities still held at the reporting date and a description of where those unrealized gains or losses are reported in the statement of income (or activities); (e) the valuation technique(s) used to measure fair value and a discussion of changes in valuation techniques, if any, during the period and (2) for assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis (for example, impaired assets) disclosure may include, in addition to (a) above: (a) the reasons for the fair value measurements recorded; (b) the same as (b) above; (c) for fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), a description of the inputs and the information used to develop the inputs; and (d) the valuation technique(s) used to measure fair value and a discussion of changes, if any, in the valuation technique(s) used to measure similar assets and/or liabilities in prior periods.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 157 -Paragraph 32 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 157 -Paragraph 33 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 157 -Paragraph 6 -Footnote 4 falsefalseFair Value Policy10false0us-gaap_CompensationRelatedCostsPolicyTextBlockus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:26px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">We measure share-based compensation cost at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and recognize this cost as an expense over the grant recipients’ requisite service periods, in accordance with ASC 718, </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">Compensation - Stock Compensation</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">. </font></div></div>We measure share-based compensation cost at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and recognize this cost as an expense over the grantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:textBlockItemTypestringDescribes the entity's accounting policies for salaries, bonuses, incentive awards, postretirement and postemployment benefits granted to its employees, including share-based arrangements; describes its methodologies for measurement, and the bases for recognizing related assets and liabilities and recognizing and reporting compensation expense.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 123R -Paragraph 4, 9-15, A240 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13 falsefalseSahre-Based Compensation Policy19Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)UnKnownUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue