Solar Energy Systems, Net (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Property Subject To Or Available For Operating Lease [Line Items]
Solar energy systems, gross	$ 2,459,367	$ 2,091,585
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization	(254,470)	(212,671)
Add: construction-in-progress	77,832	113,107
Total solar energy systems, net	2,282,729	1,992,021
Solar Energy System Equipment Costs
Property Subject To Or Available For Operating Lease [Line Items]
Solar energy systems, gross	2,148,251	1,846,103
Inverters
Property Subject To Or Available For Operating Lease [Line Items]
Solar energy systems, gross	217,931	177,202
Initial Direct Costs
Property Subject To Or Available For Operating Lease [Line Items]
Solar energy systems, gross	$ 93,185	$ 68,280

Amount of structure or a modification to a structure under construction. Includes recently completed structures or modifications to structures that have not been placed into service.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressGross
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of accumulated depreciation, by major property class, recorded on property subject to or available for lease as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6454179&loc=d3e41551-112718

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453916&loc=d3e41460-112716

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertySubjectToOrAvailableForOperatingLeaseAccumulatedDepreciation
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before accumulated depreciation of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services subject to or available for lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453916&loc=d3e41457-112716

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6454179&loc=d3e41551-112718

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertySubjectToOrAvailableForOperatingLeaseGross
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertySubjectToOrAvailableForOperatingLeaseLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of property, by major property class, net of accumulated depreciation, subject to or available for lease as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertySubjectToOrAvailableForOperatingLeaseNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_EquipmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=run_InvertersMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=run_InitialDirectCostsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: