Related Parties - Additional Information (Details) - USD ($)			3 Months Ended
		Jan. 22, 2016	Feb. 29, 2016	Mar. 29, 2015	Nov. 25, 2015
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Cost of operations-SunPower, prior to IPO	[1]		$ 0	$ 234,000
Lease term expiration date			Dec. 31, 2019
Selling, general and administrative	[1]		$ 1,636,000	3,279,000
Kern Acquisition
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Future capital contribution from tax equity investor		$ 28,400,000
IPO PSAs
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Remaining Purchase price Payment			0
First Solar MSA
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Annual management fee			$ 600,000
First Solar MSA | Maximum
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Possible one-time percentage increase in management fee by service provider			15.00%
SunPower MSA
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Annual management fee			$ 1,100,000
SunPower MSA | Maximum
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Possible one-time percentage increase in management fee by service provider			15.00%
Service Provider
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Management fee expense			$ 400,000
Affiliated Entity
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Period of warranty for power and product			25 years
Affiliated Entity | Maximum
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Period of warranty for materials, construction, fabrication and workmanship			10 years
Affiliated Entity | Minimum
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Period of warranty for materials, construction, fabrication and workmanship			2 years
Leased Solar Energy Systems | Predecessor
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Cost of operations-SunPower, prior to IPO			$ 1,000,000	200,000
OpCo
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Cash received as indemnity			10,000,000
Promissory Note issued					$ 2,000,000
Interest rate of Promissory Note					1.00%
OpCo | SunPower
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Cash received as indemnity			$ 3,900,000
Maryland Solar
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Lease term expiration date			Dec. 30, 2019
Sun Power Operating Expenses Allocations | Predecessor
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Selling, general and administrative				$ 2,500,000

[1] The Partnership has related-party activities for transactions made with the Sponsors. Related party transactions recorded within “Operating revenues” in the unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations were $1.3 million and zero for the three months ended February 29, 2016 and March 29, 2015, respectively. Related party transactions recorded within “Operating costs and expenses” in the unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations were $1.4 million and zero for the three months ended February 29, 2016 and March 29, 2015, respectively.