Pass-through Financing Obligations - Additional Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Property Subject to or Available for Operating Lease [Line Items]
Customer agreement, initial term	22 years
Solar energy systems, gross	$ 4,428,204	$ 4,219,907
Depreciation on lease	$ 575,094	535,891
Minimum
Property Subject to or Available for Operating Lease [Line Items]
Customer agreement, initial term	20 years
Maximum
Property Subject to or Available for Operating Lease [Line Items]
Customer agreement, initial term	25 years
Solar energy systems under lease pass-through fund arrangements
Property Subject to or Available for Operating Lease [Line Items]
Customer agreement, initial term	20 years
Solar energy systems, gross	$ 656,500	664,100
Depreciation on lease	79,800	$ 82,100
Extinguishment of financing obligation	11,700
Debt extinguishment expense	$ 4,000
Solar energy systems under lease pass-through fund arrangements | Minimum
Property Subject to or Available for Operating Lease [Line Items]
Solar energy systems, initial term	20 years
Solar energy systems under lease pass-through fund arrangements | Maximum
Property Subject to or Available for Operating Lease [Line Items]
Solar energy systems, initial term	22 years