VIE Arrangements - Carrying Amounts and Classification of the VIEs' Assets and Liabilities Included in the Consolidated Balance Sheets (Details) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) investment_fund fund		Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Current assets
Cash		$ 617,634		$ 519,965	$ 269,577
Restricted cash		232,649		188,095
Accounts receivable, net		146,037		95,141
Inventories		506,819		283,045
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		44,580		51,483
Total current assets		1,547,719		1,137,729
Solar energy systems, net		9,459,696		8,202,788
Other assets		1,125,743		681,665
Total assets		16,483,252	[1]	14,382,943
Current liabilities
Accounts payable		288,108		207,441
Distributions payable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests		31,582		28,627
Accrued expenses and other liabilities		364,136		325,614
Deferred revenue, current portion		111,739		108,452
Deferred grants, current portion		8,302		8,251
Non-recourse debt, current portion		190,186		195,036
Total current liabilities		1,012,120		901,356
Deferred revenue, net of current portion		761,872		690,824
Deferred grants, net of current portion		206,615		213,269
Non-recourse debt, net of current portion		5,711,020		4,370,449
Other liabilities		190,056		268,684
Total liabilities	[1]	$ 8,910,665		7,093,572
Number of types of investment funds used by the company | investment_fund		3
Variable Interest Entities
Current assets
Cash		$ 377,044		219,502
Restricted cash		70,346		34,559
Accounts receivable, net		55,714		35,152
Inventories		93,604		23,306
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		1,519		2,629
Total current assets		598,227		315,148
Solar energy systems, net		7,605,769		6,748,127
Other assets		177,224		127,591
Total assets		8,381,220		7,190,866
Current liabilities
Accounts payable		26,042		15,609
Distributions payable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests		31,582		28,577
Accrued expenses and other liabilities		31,036		24,660
Deferred revenue, current portion		45,956		44,906
Deferred grants, current portion		997		1,007
Non-recourse debt, current portion		41,284		31,594
Total current liabilities		176,897		146,353
Deferred revenue, net of current portion		484,429		493,161
Deferred grants, net of current portion		24,637		25,891
Non-recourse debt, net of current portion		1,441,324		1,160,817
Other liabilities		25,205		31,745
Total liabilities		$ 2,152,492		$ 1,857,967
Number of types of investment funds used by the company | fund		6

[1] The Company’s consolidated assets as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 include $8,381,220 and $7,190,866, respectively, in assets of variable interest entities, or “VIEs”, that can only be used to settle obligations of the VIEs. Solar energy systems, net, as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 were $7,605,769 and $6,748,127, respectively; cash as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 were $377,044 and $219,502, respectively; restricted cash as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 were $70,346 and $34,559, respectively; accounts receivable, net as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 were $55,714 and $35,152, respectively; inventories as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 of $93,604 and $23,306; prepaid expenses and other current assets as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 were $1,519 and $2,629, respectively and other assets as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 were $177,224 and $127,591, respectively. The Company’s consolidated liabilities as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 include $2,152,492 and $1,857,967, respectively, in liabilities of VIEs whose creditors have no recourse to the Company. These liabilities include accounts payable as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 of $26,042 and $15,609, respectively; distributions payable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 of $31,582 and $28,577, respectively; accrued expenses and other liabilities as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 of $31,036 and $24,660, respectively; deferred revenue as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 of $530,385 and $538,067, respectively; deferred grants as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 of $25,634 and $26,898, respectively; non-recourse debt as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 of $1,482,608 and $1,192,411, respectively; and other liabilities as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 of $25,205 and $31,745, respectively.