VIE Arrangements - Summary of Number of Current VIE Funds by Classification of Investor, the Carrying Value, Total Investor Contributions Received and Undrawn Investor Contributions (Detail) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Fund	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Carrying Value of Solar Energy System	$ 4,375,553	$ 2,796,796
VIEs [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number Of Funds | Fund	33
Total Investor Contributions Received	$ 2,503,833
Undrawn Investor Contributions	275,709
Carrying Value of Solar Energy System	$ 2,779,363	$ 1,581,459
Financial Institutions [Member] | VIEs [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number Of Funds | Fund	22
Total Investor Contributions Received	$ 1,492,790
Undrawn Investor Contributions	146,662
Carrying Value of Solar Energy System	$ 1,752,262
Corporations [Member] | VIEs [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number Of Funds | Fund	6
Total Investor Contributions Received	$ 753,386
Undrawn Investor Contributions	70,996
Carrying Value of Solar Energy System	$ 781,062
Utilities [Member] | VIEs [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number Of Funds | Fund	4
Total Investor Contributions Received	$ 255,869
Undrawn Investor Contributions	58,051
Carrying Value of Solar Energy System	$ 242,826
Other Investors [Member] | VIEs [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number Of Funds | Fund	1
Total Investor Contributions Received	$ 1,788
Carrying Value of Solar Energy System	$ 3,213