Lease Pass-Through Financing Obligation - Schedule of Future Minimum Lease Payments to be Received for Operating Leases (Detail) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Property Subject To Or Available For Operating Lease [Line Items]
2017	$ 279,420
2018	250,791
2019	191,729
2010	147,989
2021	145,423
Thereafter	2,122,127
Total	3,137,479
SolarCity [Member]
Property Subject To Or Available For Operating Lease [Line Items]
2017	37,208
2018	37,653
2019	36,371
2010	35,622
2021	35,413
Thereafter	381,289
Total	$ 563,556

Future minimum rental payments in aggregate as of the balance sheet date under operating leases.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6454179&loc=d3e41551-112718

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- Definition

Future rental payments receivable within one year of the balance sheet date under an operating lease.

+ References

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- Definition

Future rental payments receivable within the fifth year from the balance sheet date under an operating lease.

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- Definition

Future rental payments receivable within the fourth year from the balance sheet date under an operating lease.

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Future rental payments receivable within the third year from the balance sheet date under an operating lease.

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- Definition

Future rental payments receivable within the second year from the balance sheet date under an operating lease.

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- Definition

Future minimum lease payments receivable under operating leases for periods greater than five years following the balance sheet date.

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No definition available.

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