Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statement of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Class A	Common Class B	Common Class B1	Controlling Interest	Common Stock Common Class A	Common Stock Common Class B	Common Stock Common Class B1	Treasury Stock	Treasury Stock Common Class A	Additional Paid-in-Capital	Accumulated Deficit	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Non-controlling Interest	Non-controlling Interest, Capital	Non-controlling Interest, Accumulated Deficit	Non-controlling Interest, Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Investments in NPS and WXA | Recast Adjustments	$ 858				$ 420						$ (184)	$ 532	$ 72	$ 438	$ (191)	$ 554	$ 75
Balance at January 1, 2016 (As Reported) at Dec. 31, 2015	1,182,409				701,741	$ 1,146	$ 613	$ 0	$ (28)		923,924	(212,661)	(11,253)	480,668	609,416	(118,995)	(9,753)
Balance at January 1, 2016 at Dec. 31, 2015	1,183,267				702,161	$ 1,146	$ 613		$ (28)		923,740	(212,129)	(11,181)	481,106	609,225	(118,441)	(9,678)
Balance at January 1, 2016 (shares) (As Reported) at Dec. 31, 2015						114,630,318,000	61,343,054,000	0	5,244,000
Balance at January 1, 2016 (shares) at Dec. 31, 2015		114,630,318	61,343,054	0		114,630,318,000	61,343,054,000	0	5,244
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Class A shares forfeited on termination of employment	0					$ (15)					15
Class A shares forfeited on termination of employment (shares)						(1,502,329,000)
Stock-based compensation	1,107				1,107						1,107
Net loss	(6,248)				(4,632)							(4,632)		(1,616)		(1,616)
Net SunEdison Investment	25,625													25,625	25,625
Other comprehensive loss	(9,903)				(2,056)						0		(2,056)	(7,847)	0		(7,847)
Dividends paid	(30,674)				(30,674)						(30,674)
Equity reallocation	0				23,669						23,669			(23,669)	(23,669)
Balance at March 31, 2016 at Mar. 31, 2016	$ 1,163,174				$ 689,575	$ 1,131	$ 613		$ (28)		$ 917,857	$ (216,761)	$ (13,237)	$ 473,599	$ 611,181	$ (120,057)	$ (17,525)
Balance at December 31, 2016 (shares) at Mar. 31, 2016		113,127,989	61,343,054	0		113,127,989,000	61,343,054,000	0		5,244