VIE Arrangements - Carrying Amounts and Classification of the VIEs' Assets and Liabilities Included in the Consolidated Balance Sheets (Details) $ in Thousands		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2023 USD ($) investment_fund fund	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2022 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($)
Current assets:
Cash		$ 643,787	$ 740,508	$ 672,083	$ 617,634
Restricted cash		308,010	212,367
Accounts receivable, net		188,892	214,255
Inventories		661,801	783,904
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		126,028	146,609
Total current assets		1,928,518	2,097,643
Solar energy systems, net		12,528,617	10,988,361
Other assets		2,318,376	1,827,518
Total assets	[1]	20,027,115	19,268,805
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable		296,453	339,166
Distributions payable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests		32,697	32,050
Accrued expenses and other liabilities		381,453	406,466
Deferred revenue, current portion		128,894	183,719
Non-recourse debt, current portion		540,517	157,810
Total current liabilities		1,423,268	1,155,451
Deferred revenue, net of current portion		1,025,890	912,254
Non-recourse debt, net of current portion		8,785,196	7,343,299
Other liabilities		138,058	140,290
Total liabilities	[1]	$ 12,952,737	11,089,788
Number of types of investment funds used by the company | investment_fund		3
Variable Interest Entities
Current assets:
Cash		$ 250,476	457,005
Restricted cash		47,379	44,514
Accounts receivable, net		75,584	66,847
Inventories		264,433	193,836
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		14,043	12,698
Total current assets		651,915	774,900
Solar energy systems, net		9,942,904	8,968,835
Other assets		357,603	287,771
Total assets		10,952,422	10,031,506
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable		12,296	36,315
Distributions payable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests		32,698	32,051
Accrued expenses and other liabilities		32,817	32,512
Deferred revenue, current portion		50,219	49,037
Non-recourse debt, current portion		256,230	39,894
Total current liabilities		384,260	189,809
Deferred revenue, net of current portion		611,932	572,420
Non-recourse debt, net of current portion		1,254,857	1,449,513
Other liabilities		16,262	15,260
Total liabilities		$ 2,267,311	$ 2,227,002
Number of types of investment funds used by the company | fund		6

[1] The Company’s consolidated assets as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 include $10,952,422 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 September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $9,942,904 and $8,968,835, respectively; cash as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $250,476 and $457,005, respectively; restricted cash as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $47,379 and $44,514, respectively; accounts receivable, net as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $75,584 and $66,847, respectively; inventories as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $264,433 and $193,836, respectively; prepaid expenses and other current assets as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $14,043 and $12,698, respectively; and other assets as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $357,603 and $287,771, respectively. The Company’s consolidated liabilities as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 include $2,267,311 and $2,227,002, respectively, in liabilities of VIEs whose creditors have no recourse to the Company. These liabilities include accounts payable as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $12,296 and $36,315, respectively; distributions payable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $32,698 and $32,051, respectively; accrued expenses and other current liabilities as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $32,817 and $32,512, respectively; deferred revenue as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $662,151 and $621,457, respectively; non-recourse debt as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $1,511,087 and $1,489,407, respectively; and other liabilities as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of $16,262 and $15,260, respectively.