Commitments and Contingencies - Summary of Asset Retirement Obligations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	8 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2016	Aug. 31, 2015	Aug. 31, 2015	Aug. 31, 2016
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Balance at the beginning of the period	$ 11,542	$ 3,868	$ 0	$ 9,992
ARO assumed in acquisition	278	2,130	2,130	1,806
Accretion expense	141	0	0	387
Liabilities incurred during the period	0	2,452	6,320	0
Adjustments to ARO during the period	(78)	0	0	(302)
Balance at the end of the period	$ 11,883	$ 8,450	$ 8,450	$ 11,883

Adjustments to asset retirement obligation during the period.

No definition available.

Name:	cafd_AdjustmentsToAssetRetirementObligationDuringPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	cafd_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Asset retirement obligation liabilities assumed in acquisition.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cafd_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesAssumedInAcquisition
Namespace Prefix:	cafd_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The carrying amount of a liability for an asset retirement obligation. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, construction or development, or the normal operations of a long-lived asset, except for certain obligations of lessees.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 410
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Asset Retirement Obligation
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6505190

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of accretion expense recognized during the period that is associated with an asset retirement obligation. Accretion expense measures and incorporates changes due to the passage of time into the carrying amount of the liability.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 410
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 410
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392676&loc=d3e7480-110848

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationAccretionExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of asset retirement obligations incurred during the period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesIncurred
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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