Indebtedness - Additional Information (Detail)												1 Months Ended							12 Months Ended
	Dec. 16, 2015 USD ($)	May. 04, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 24, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 24, 2014 USD ($)	Oct. 10, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Jul. 02, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 20, 2014 USD ($)	Jan. 06, 2014 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Aug. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) SecurityLoan $ / shares $ / Derivative shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Jul. 24, 2015 USD ($)	Jul. 13, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 29, 2015 USD ($)	Jan. 09, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 23, 2014 USD ($)	May. 23, 2014 USD ($)	Feb. 20, 2014 USD ($)	Feb. 04, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 07, 2013 USD ($)	Nov. 21, 2011 USD ($)	May. 26, 2010 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Capped call option agreement notional amount																				$ 65,203,000
Convertible senior notes issued to related parties																			$ 12,975,000
Repayments of long-term debt																			215,933,000	336,557,000	$ 65,328,000
Loss on extinguishment of long-term debt				$ 2,600,000			$ 1,500,000	$ 400,000											1,093,000	4,533,000	$ 306,000
Credit facility settlement amount			$ 5,500,000
Subsidiary [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum amount to be borrowed																															$ 350,000,000
2.75% convertible senior notes due in 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument maturity date											Nov. 01, 2018
Convertible senior notes aggregate principal amount											$ 230,000,000
Proceeds from convertible debt											$ 222,500,000
Interest Rate											2.75%
Convertible senior notes, conversion amount																			$ 1,000
Convertible senior notes, conversion ratio																			16.2165
Convertible senior notes, conversion price | $ / shares																			$ 61.67
Convertible senior notes, description																			The convertible senior notes do not have a cash conversion option. The convertible senior note holders may require the Company to repurchase their convertible senior notes for cash only under certain defined fundamental changes.
2.75% convertible senior notes due in 2018 [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Convertible senior notes, conversion ratio																			21.4868
2.75% convertible senior notes due in 2018 [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Convertible senior notes, conversion price | $ / shares																			$ 46.54
1.625% convertible senior notes due in 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument maturity date						Nov. 01, 2019
Convertible senior notes aggregate principal amount					$ 66,000,000
Proceeds from convertible debt					$ 64,500,000
Interest Rate																										1.625%
Convertible senior notes, conversion amount																			$ 1,000
Convertible senior notes, conversion ratio																			11.972
Convertible senior notes, conversion price | $ / shares																			$ 83.53
Convertible senior notes, description																			The convertible senior note holders may require the Company to repurchase their convertible senior notes for cash only under certain defined fundamental changes.
Convertible senior notes issued date					Oct. 10, 2014
Capped call option agreement notional amount					$ 7,600,000										$ 57,600,000
Shares received upon the exercise of the capped call options | shares																			6,776,152
Capped call options, specification																			(i) the lower of $126.08 or the then market price of its common stock less (ii) $83.53 and divided by (b) the then market price of its common stock. The results of this formula are that the Company would receive more shares as the market price of its common stock exceeds $83.53 and approaches $126.08,
Cap price | $ / Derivative																			126.08
Initial strike price | $ / Derivative																			83.53
1.625% convertible senior notes due in 2019 [Member] | Private placement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Convertible senior notes aggregate principal amount																										$ 500,000,000
Proceeds from convertible debt						$ 488,300,000
1.625% convertible senior notes due in 2019 [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Convertible senior notes, conversion ratio																			15.8629
Derivative, Expiry date																			Oct. 29, 2019
1.625% convertible senior notes due in 2019 [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Convertible senior notes, conversion price | $ / shares																			$ 63.04
Derivative, Expiry date																			Sep. 04, 2019
Zero-Coupon Convertible Senior Notes Due in 2020 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument maturity date																			Dec. 01, 2020
Convertible senior notes, conversion amount																			$ 1,000
Convertible senior notes, conversion ratio																			30.3030
Convertible senior notes, conversion price | $ / shares																			$ 33.00
Convertible senior notes issued to related parties																			$ 13,000,000
Debt instrument redeemed description																			The convertible senior notes will be redeemable by the Company in the event that the closing price of the Company’s common stock exceeds 200% of the conversion price for 45 consecutive trading days ending within three trading days of such redemption notice at a redemption price of par plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date
Zero-Coupon Convertible Senior Notes Due in 2020 [Member] | Private placement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Convertible senior notes aggregate principal amount																			$ 113,000,000
Proceeds from convertible debt																			$ 112,800,000
Zero-Coupon Convertible Senior Notes Due in 2020 [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Convertible senior notes, conversion ratio																			38.4615
Zero-Coupon Convertible Senior Notes Due in 2020 [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Convertible senior notes, conversion price | $ / shares																			$ 26.00
Solar Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument redeemed description																			The Company commenced issuing Solar Bonds with variable interest rates that reset quarterly and that can be redeemed quarterly at the option of the bondholder or the Company, with 30 days’ advance notice
Proceeds from issuance of solar bonds issued to related parties																			$ 165,020,000	$ 530,000
Solar bonds due in March 2016 [Member] | Space Exploration Technologies Corporation [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument maturity date																			Mar. 31, 2016
Interest Rate														2.00%
Proceeds from issuance of solar bonds issued to related parties														$ 90,000,000
Solar bonds due in June 2016 [Member] | Space Exploration Technologies Corporation [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument maturity date																			Jun. 30, 2016
Interest Rate													2.00%
Proceeds from issuance of solar bonds issued to related parties													$ 75,000,000
Term Loan Assumed From Silevo Acquisition [Member] | Silevo, Inc. [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest Rate													7.80%
Acquired term loan													$ 9,100,000
Term loan due in September 2015 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum amount to be borrowed														$ 79,000,000
Debt Instrument, interest rate terms																			Company’s option, (a) 3.50% plus LIBOR or (b) 3.50% plus the highest of (i) the Federal Funds Rate plus 0.50%, (ii) Bank of America’s published “prime rate” or (iii) LIBOR plus 1.00%.
Term loan due in May 2016 [Member] | May 23, 2014 agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum amount to be borrowed																											$ 125,000,000
Debt Instrument, interest rate terms																			Company’s option, plus the highest of (i) the Federal Funds Rate plus 0.50%, (ii) Bank of America’s published “prime rate” or (iii) LIBOR plus 1.00%
Term loan due in May 2016 [Member] | Maximum [Member] | May 23, 2014 agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis interest rate																			4.00%
Term loan due in May 2016 [Member] | Minimum [Member] | May 23, 2014 agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis interest rate																			3.00%
Term loan due in December 2016 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of long-term debt												$ 75,700,000
Term loan due in December 2016 [Member] | February 4, 2014 agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum amount to be borrowed									$ 250,000,000																			$ 220,000,000	$ 100,000,000
Debt Instrument, interest rate terms																			Company’s option, 3.25% plus the highest of (i) the Federal Funds Rate plus 0.50%, (ii) Bank of America’s published “prime rate” or (iii) LIBOR plus 1.00%.
Revolving aggregation credit facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum amount to be borrowed		$ 500,000,000																					$ 650,000,000
Credit facility interest rate terms																			The revolving aggregation credit facility bears interest at an annual rate of 2.75% plus (i) for commercial paper loans, the commercial paper rate and (ii) for LIBOR loans, at the Company’s option, three-month LIBOR or daily LIBOR.
Basis interest rate																			2.75%
Amount drew under financing agreement		$ 113,100,000
Solar Asset-backed Notes, Series 2013-1 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Convertible senior notes aggregate principal amount																		$ 54,400,000
Collateral value of solar assets																			$ 138,500,000
Debt discount percentage																		0.05%
Lease pass-through financing obligation [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Lease financing obligations																			56,400,000
Lease financing obligation termination																			40,200,000
Lease pass-through financing obligation [Member] | VIE, primary beneficiary [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Lease financing obligation termination																			74,500,000
Solar Asset-backed Notes, Series 2014-1 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Convertible senior notes aggregate principal amount																	$ 70,200,000
Collateral value of solar assets																	$ 129,600,000
Debt discount percentage																	0.01%
Solar Asset-backed Notes, Series 2014-2 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Convertible senior notes aggregate principal amount																			$ 275,600,000
Debt discount percentage																0.01%
Solar Asset-backed Notes, Series 2014-2 [Member] | June 7, 2013 agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Settlement of term loan																$ 129,300,000
LIBOR [Member] | Term loan due in September 2015 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis interest rate																			3.50%
LIBOR [Member] | Term loan due in December 2016 [Member] | February 4, 2014 agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis interest rate									3.25%
Federal Funds Rate [Member] | Term loan due in May 2016 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis interest rate																			0.50%
Class A [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis interest rate																			2.50%
Class A [Member] | Solar Asset-backed Notes, Series 2014-2 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Convertible senior notes aggregate principal amount							160,000,000									160,000,000
Class A [Member] | Solar Asset-backed Notes, Series 2015-1 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Convertible senior notes aggregate principal amount												$ 103,500,000
Debt discount percentage												0.05%
Class B [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis interest rate																			3.00%
Class B [Member] | Solar Asset-backed Notes, Series 2014-2 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Convertible senior notes aggregate principal amount							$ 41,500,000									$ 41,500,000
Class B [Member] | Solar Asset-backed Notes, Series 2015-1 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Convertible senior notes aggregate principal amount												$ 20,000,000
Debt discount percentage												1.46%
Revolving credit facility [Member] | MyPower revolving credit facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum amount to be borrowed																									$ 200,000,000
Credit facility interest rate terms																			Company entered into a $200.0 million revolving credit agreement with a syndicate of banks to obtain funding for the MyPower customer loan program. The MyPower revolving credit facility initially provided up to $160.0 million of Class A notes and up to $40.0 million of Class B notes. On December 16, 2015, the committed amount under the Class A notes was increased to $200.0 million. The Class A notes bear interest at an annual rate of (i) for the first $160.0 million, 2.50% and (ii) for the remaining $40.0 million, 3.00%; in each case, plus (a) the commercial paper rate or (b) 1.50% plus adjusted LIBOR.
Revolving credit facility [Member] | LIBOR [Member] | MyPower revolving credit facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis interest rate																			1.50%
Revolving credit facility [Member] | Class A [Member] | MyPower revolving credit facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum amount to be borrowed	$ 200,000,000
Credit facility interest rate terms																			The fee for undrawn commitments under the Class A notes is 0.50% per annum for the first $160.0 million of undrawn commitments and 0.75% per annum for the remaining $40.0 million of undrawn commitments,
Percentage of fee for undrawn commitments																			0.50%
Convertible senior notes aggregate principal amount																									160,000,000
Revolving credit facility [Member] | Class B [Member] | MyPower revolving credit facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility interest rate terms																			The fee for undrawn commitments under the Class B notes is 0.50% per annum.
Basis interest rate	5.00%
Percentage of fee for undrawn commitments																			0.75%
Convertible senior notes aggregate principal amount																									$ 40,000,000
Working Capital Financing [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum amount to be borrowed																																$ 16,300,000
Basis interest rate																			2.00%
Debt Instrument, interest rate terms																			Each tranche bore interest at an annual rate of 2.00% plus the swap rate applicable to the average life of the scheduled lease receipts for the tranche.
Number of funded tranches | SecurityLoan																			4
Term Loans [Member] | Term loan due in June 2015 [Member] | June 7, 2013 agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum amount to be borrowed										$ 158,000,000																				$ 100,000,000
Credit facility interest rate terms																			LIBOR plus 3.25
Term Loans [Member] | LIBOR [Member] | Term loan due in June 2015 [Member] | June 7, 2013 agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis interest rate										3.25%
Syndicated revolving bank agreement [Member] | Secured revolving credit facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum amount to be borrowed																			$ 398,500,000			$ 333,500,000		$ 260,000,000
Credit facility interest rate terms																			In September 2012, the Company entered into a revolving credit agreement with a syndicate of banks to obtain funding for working capital, letters of credit and funding for general corporate needs. On June 29, 2015, the committed amount under the secured revolving credit facility was increased to $260.0 million. On July 24, 2015, the committed amount under the secured revolving credit facility was increased to $333.5 million. In December 2015, the committed amount under the secured revolving credit facility was increased to $398.5 million, and the maturity date was extended to December 31, 2017 for substantially all amounts borrowed, and to be borrowed, under the secured revolving credit facility. Borrowed funds bear interest, at the Company’s option, at an annual rate of (a) 3.25% plus LIBOR or (b) 2.25% plus the highest of (i) the federal funds rate plus 0.50%, (ii) Bank of America’s published “prime rate” or (iii) LIBOR plus 1.00%.
Debt instrument maturity date																			Dec. 31, 2017
Basis interest rate																			2.25%
Percentage of fee for undrawn commitments																			0.375%
Syndicated revolving bank agreement [Member] | Secured revolving credit facility [Member] | LIBOR [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis interest rate																			3.25%
Syndicated revolving bank agreement [Member] | Secured revolving credit facility [Member] | Federal Funds Rate [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis interest rate																			0.50%
Syndicated revolving bank agreement [Member] | Secured revolving credit facility [Member] | LIBOR Option 2 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis interest rate																			1.00%
Syndicated revolving bank agreement [Member] | Revolving credit facility [Member] | LIBOR Option 2 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis interest rate																			1.00%