Business Combinations - Additional Information (Details)																	3 Months Ended		8 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
		Sep. 21, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 09, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 09, 2016 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2016 USD ($) MW	Jul. 01, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 29, 2016 USD ($) Store MW	Jun. 28, 2016	May 31, 2016 USD ($)	Apr. 01, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) Project MW	Mar. 28, 2016	Feb. 27, 2016 USD ($)	Jan. 26, 2016 USD ($) MW	Jan. 22, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 24, 2015 Sites MW	Aug. 31, 2016 USD ($) MW	Aug. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2016 USD ($) MW
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Aggregate solar nameplate megawatts | MW					530												530			530
Amount paid subsequently in acquiring business																			$ 0	$ 124,326,000
Operating revenues	[1]																$ 26,116,000	$ 3,076,000	$ 6,629,000	$ 46,735,000
OpCo
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of year, power purchase agreement serving								5 years				5 years
Kern Acquisition
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Agreement date																				Jan. 26, 2016
Payment to acquire business														$ 4,900,000
Business combination capital contribution received from tax equity investor															$ 900,000
Kern Acquisition | Subsequent Event
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payment to acquire business				$ 9,200,000
Business combination capital contribution received from tax equity investor				$ 1,800,000
Kern Acquisition | Subsequent Event | OpCo
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payment to acquire business			$ 9,200,000
Kern Acquisition | Maximum
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Aggregate solar nameplate megawatts | MW														21
Aggregate purchase price														$ 36,600,000
Purchase price to be paid on the closing of phases					$ 22,500,000
Future capital contribution from tax equity investor														$ 31,200,000	$ 31,200,000
Related party transaction, payable in acquiring business on certain construction milestones					$ 28,500,000												28,500,000			$ 28,500,000
Kingbird Purchase Agreement | OpCo
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Agreement date																				Mar. 31, 2016
Aggregate solar nameplate megawatts | MW											20
Payment to acquire business									$ 0		$ 60,000,000
Business combination capital contribution received from tax equity investor									46,800,000				$ 11,700,000
Number of solar generating projects | Project											2
Payment at closing											$ 42,900,000
Amount paid subsequently in acquiring business									$ 17,100,000
Percentage of purchase price funded											100.00%
Hooper Acquisition | OpCo
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Agreement date																				Mar. 31, 2016
Aggregate solar nameplate megawatts | MW											50
Payment to acquire business										$ 53,500,000	$ 53,500,000
Percentage of purchase price funded										100.00%
Macy's Maryland Acquisition | OpCo
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Agreement date																				Jun. 29, 2016
Aggregate solar nameplate megawatts | MW							5
Number of department stores | Store							7
Aggregate purchase price							$ 12,000,000
Macy's Maryland Acquisition | OpCo | SunPower
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payment to acquire business						$ 6,400,000
Macy's Maryland Acquisition | Subsequent Event | SunPower
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Related party transaction, payable in acquiring business on certain construction milestones		$ 5,600,000
Macy's Maryland Acquisition | Subsequent Event | OpCo | SunPower
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Amount paid subsequently in acquiring business		$ 5,600,000
Kern Phase 1(a) Assets, Kingbird Project, Hooper Project and Macy’s Maryland Project
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Operating revenues																	4,600,000			$ 6,800,000
Increased in operating income																	$ 2,300,000			$ 3,300,000
Maryland Solar
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business acquisition, effective date of acquisition																				Jun. 24, 2015
Maryland Solar | First Energy Solutions
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Aggregate solar nameplate megawatts | MW																20
Percentage of voting interests acquired																100.00%
Number of year, power purchase agreement serving																20 years
Solar Gen Two Project Entity | San Diego Gas & Electric
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Aggregate solar nameplate megawatts | MW																150
Percentage of ownership interest																49.00%
Number of year, power purchase agreement serving																25 years
Electricity production capacity per site | MW																50
Number of site electricity generated separately | Sites																3
North Star | PG&E
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Aggregate solar nameplate megawatts | MW																60
Percentage of ownership interest																49.00%
Number of year, power purchase agreement serving																20 years
Lost Hills Blackwell | PG&E
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Aggregate solar nameplate megawatts | MW																32
Percentage of ownership interest																49.00%
Number of year, power purchase agreement serving																25 years

[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 $3.9 million for the three and nine months ended August 31, 2016, respectively, and $1.0 million for the three and eight months ended August 31, 2015. Related party transactions recorded within “Operating costs and expenses” in the unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations were $1.9 million and $5.0 million for the three and nine months ended August 31, 2016, respectively, and $0.4 million and $0.8 million for the three and eight months ended August 31, 2015, respectively.