Subsequent Events - Purchase Allocation for Acquired Assets and Liabilities and Non Controlling Interests (Details) - Kern Phase 1(b) Assets - Subsequent Event - Kern Acquisition $ in Thousands	Sep. 09, 2016 USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Property and equipment	$ 18,853
Related party payable	(7,123)
Asset retirement obligation	(785)
Noncontrolling interest	(1,791)
Net assets acquired	$ 9,154

Business combination recognized identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed asset retirement obligation.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	cafd_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Business combination recognized identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed related parties payable.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	cafd_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

This element represents the fair value of the noncontrolling interest in the acquiree at the acquisition date.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

The amount of property, plant, and equipment recognized as of the acquisition date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73530397&loc=d3e4845-128472

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 37
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73531372&loc=d3e2207-128464

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount recognized as of the acquisition date for the assets, including goodwill, in excess of (less than) the aggregate liabilities assumed, less the noncontrolling interest in the acquiree.

+ References

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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