VIE Arrangements - Carrying Amounts and Classification of the VIEs' Assets and Liabilities Included in the Consolidated Balance Sheets (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2023 USD ($) fund investment_fund	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2022 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($)
Current assets:
Cash		$ 628,536	$ 740,508	$ 629,161	$ 617,634
Restricted cash		214,542	212,367
Accounts receivable, net		218,692	214,255
Inventories		887,890	783,904
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		134,612	146,609
Total current assets		2,084,272	2,097,643
Solar energy systems, net		11,368,850	10,988,361
Other assets		1,913,615	1,827,518
Total assets	[1]	19,728,327	19,268,805
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable		345,968	339,166
Distributions payable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests		30,621	32,050
Accrued expenses and other liabilities		381,271	406,466
Deferred revenue, current portion		160,221	183,719
Non-recourse debt, current portion		194,410	157,810
Total current liabilities		1,150,017	1,155,451
Deferred revenue, net of current portion		938,039	912,254
Non-recourse debt, net of current portion		7,786,399	7,343,299
Other liabilities		170,267	140,290
Total liabilities	[1]	$ 11,560,573	11,089,788
Number of types of investment funds used by the company | investment_fund		3
Variable Interest Entities
Current assets:
Cash		$ 395,983	457,005
Restricted cash		42,500	44,514
Accounts receivable, net		72,961	66,847
Inventories		414,407	193,836
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		12,003	12,698
Total current assets		937,854	774,900
Solar energy systems, net		9,227,988	8,968,835
Other assets		302,876	287,771
Total assets		10,468,718	10,031,506
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable		18,954	36,315
Distributions payable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests		30,622	32,051
Accrued expenses and other liabilities		32,118	32,512
Deferred revenue, current portion		49,809	49,037
Non-recourse debt, current portion		73,734	39,894
Total current liabilities		205,237	189,809
Deferred revenue, net of current portion		582,279	572,420
Non-recourse debt, net of current portion		1,449,125	1,449,513
Other liabilities		15,754	15,260
Total liabilities		$ 2,252,395	$ 2,227,002
Number of types of investment funds used by the company | fund		6

[1] The Company’s consolidated assets as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 include $10,468,718 and $10,031,506, respectively, in assets of variable interest entities (“VIEs”) that can only be used to settle obligations of the VIEs. These assets include solar energy systems, net, as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $9,227,988 and $8,968,835, respectively; cash as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $395,983 and $457,005, respectively; restricted cash as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $42,500 and $44,514, respectively; accounts receivable, net as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $72,961 and $66,847, respectively; inventories as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $414,407 and 193,836, respectively; prepaid expenses and other current assets as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $12,003 and $12,698, respectively; and other assets as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $302,876 and $287,771, respectively. The Company’s consolidated liabilities as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 include $2,252,395 and $2,227,002, respectively, in liabilities of VIEs whose creditors have no recourse to the Company. These liabilities include accounts payable as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $18,954 and $36,315, respectively; distributions payable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $30,622 and $32,051, respectively; accrued expenses and other current liabilities as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $32,118 and $32,512, respectively; deferred revenue as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $632,088 and $621,457, respectively; non-recourse debt as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $1,522,859 and $1,489,407, respectively; and other liabilities as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $15,754 and $15,260, respectively.