Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Revenue:
Total revenue	$ 759,981	$ 532,542	$ 477,107
Operating expenses:
Sales and marketing	207,232	146,426	168,737
Research and development	18,844	15,079	10,199
General and administrative	116,659	107,400	92,416
Amortization of intangible assets	4,204	4,204	4,206
Total operating expenses	881,862	713,675	669,183
Loss from operations	(121,881)	(181,133)	(192,076)
Interest expense, net	131,771	92,255	73,340
Other (income) expenses, net	(2,788)	1,874	(840)
Loss before income taxes	(250,864)	(275,262)	(264,576)
Income tax expense	9,322	12,353	56,263
Net loss	(260,186)	(287,615)	(320,839)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests	(286,843)	(413,104)	(395,968)
Net income attributable to common stockholders	$ 26,657	$ 125,489	$ 75,129
Net income per share attributable to common stockholders
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.24	$ 1.19	$ 0.73
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.23	$ 1.16	$ 0.72
Weighted average shares used to compute net income per share attributable to common stockholders
Basic (in shares)	110,089	105,432	102,367
Diluted (in shares)	117,112	108,206	104,964
Customer agreements and incentives
Revenue:
Customer agreements and incentives	$ 404,466	$ 234,276	$ 191,626
Operating expenses:
Cost of solar energy systems and product sales	240,857	186,435	154,244
Solar energy systems and product sales
Revenue:
Total revenue	355,515	298,266	285,481
Operating expenses:
Cost of solar energy systems and product sales	$ 294,066	$ 254,131	$ 239,381