Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Operating activities:
Net loss	$ (980,530,000)	$ (626,948,000)	$ (391,022,000)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization, net of amortization of deferred grants	388,096,000	242,942,000	187,163,000
Deferred income taxes	9,607,000	(60,573,000)	(8,218,000)
Stock-based compensation expense	211,000,000	170,587,000	26,306,000
Interest on pass-through financing obligations	21,431,000	23,166,000	24,326,000
Reduction in pass-through financing obligations	(42,309,000)	(39,188,000)	(39,083,000)
Other noncash items	60,600,000	51,040,000	25,780,000
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(62,124,000)	4,988,000	(14,864,000)
Inventories	(223,774,000)	47,554,000	(181,104,000)
Prepaid and other assets	(377,505,000)	(117,033,000)	(81,630,000)
Accounts payable	66,932,000	(45,718,000)	67,356,000
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	33,195,000	(10,306,000)	42,081,000
Deferred revenue	78,195,000	41,517,000	138,422,000
Net cash used in operating activities	(817,186,000)	(317,972,000)	(204,487,000)
Investing activities:
Payments for the costs of solar energy systems	(1,677,609,000)	(966,580,000)	(815,188,000)
Business combination, net of cash acquired	0	537,242,000	(2,722,000)
Purchase of equity method investment	0	(65,356,000)	0
Purchases of property and equipment, net	(8,576,000)	(3,095,000)	(25,345,000)
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,686,185,000)	(497,789,000)	(843,255,000)
Financing activities:
Proceeds from state tax credits, net of recapture	0	5,683,000	2,253,000
Proceeds from line of credit	738,046,000	182,700,000	185,450,000
Repayment of line of credit	(757,640,000)	(191,525,000)	(192,965,000)
Proceeds from issuance of convertible senior notes, net of capped call transaction	372,000,000	0	0
Payment of debt fees	(53,793,000)	(14,083,000)	(28,687,000)
Proceeds from pass-through financing and other obligations	10,032,000	8,701,000	9,140,000
Early repayment of pass-through financing obligations	(18,050,000)	0	(7,597,000)
Payment of finance lease obligations	(12,352,000)	(10,578,000)	(13,919,000)
Contributions received from noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests	1,238,732,000	818,061,000	711,914,000
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests	(196,466,000)	(111,223,000)	(76,654,000)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interests	(41,955,000)	(2,694,000)	(4,600,000)
Net proceeds related to stock-based award activities	36,141,000	48,664,000	16,196,000
Proceeds from shares issued in connection with a subscription agreement	0	75,000,000	0
Repurchase of common stock	0	0	(5,000,000)
Net cash provided by financing activities	2,645,594,000	1,160,740,000	1,106,572,000
Net change in cash and restricted cash	142,223,000	344,979,000	58,830,000
Cash and restricted cash, beginning of period	708,208,000	363,229,000	304,399,000
Cash and restricted cash, end of period	850,431,000	708,208,000	363,229,000
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information
Cash paid for interest	225,250,000	119,626,000	99,472,000
Cash paid for income taxes	0	0	0
Supplemental disclosures of noncash investing and financing activities
Purchases of solar energy systems and property and equipment included in accounts payable and accrued expenses	50,386,000	66,433,000	51,719,000
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new finance lease liabilities	11,055,000	4,265,000	17,914,000
Portion of solar energy systems financed with seller financing, included within non-recourse debt	37,000,000	0	0
Non Recourse Debt
Financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of non-recourse debt	2,186,990,000	751,493,000	1,181,549,000
Repayment of non-recourse debt	$ (856,091,000)	$ (399,459,000)	$ (670,508,000)