Description of Business and Basis of Presentation - Additional Information (Details)	9 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2016
OpCo \| SunPower
Description Of Business And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Contribution of Interest in entities	100.00%
OpCo \| Maryland Solar
Description Of Business And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Contribution of Interest in entities	100.00%
OpCo \| Lost Hills Blackwell Project Entity
Description Of Business And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Economic interest in entities	49.00%
OpCo \| North Star Project Entity
Description Of Business And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Economic interest in entities	49.00%
OpCo \| Solar Gen Two Project Entity
Description Of Business And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Economic interest in entities	49.00%
Noncontrolling Interest \| OpCo
Description Of Business And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Noncontrolling interest, ownership percentage by parent	28.20%
Noncontrolling Interest \| SunPower and First Solar
Description Of Business And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Noncontrolling interest, ownership percentage by parent	71.80%

Description of business and basis of presentation.

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- Definition

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66011266&loc=d3e33918-111571

+ Details

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- Definition

Percentage investment held by the managing member or general partner of the limited liability company (LLC) or limited partnership (LP).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 272
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6373374&loc=d3e70478-108055

+ Details

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- Definition

The parent entity's interest in net assets of the subsidiary, expressed as a percentage.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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