Description of Business (Policies)	6 Months Ended
Description of Business (Policies)	May 31, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Principles of Consolidation	Principles of Consolidation The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, and include the accounts of the Partnership, and all of its subsidiaries, as appropriate under consolidation accounting guidelines. The year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from the audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. Investments in unconsolidated affiliates in which the Partnership has less than a controlling interest are accounted for using the equity method of accounting. All significant inter-entity accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments (consisting of normal, recurring items) necessary to state fairly its financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the accounting policies previously disclosed in Part II, Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data—Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 1—Description of Business” and “—Note 2—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” of the 2016 10-K. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year.
Management Estimates	Management Estimates The preparation of the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Significant estimates in these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the assumptions and methodology underlying allowances for doubtful accounts related to accounts receivable and financing receivables; estimates of future cash flows and economic useful lives of property and equipment; the fair value and residual value of leased solar power systems; fair value of financial instruments; fair value of acquired assets and liabilities; valuation of certain accrued liabilities such as accrued system output performance warranty and AROs; and income taxes including the related valuation allowance. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	Recent Accounting Pronouncements In January 2017, the FASB issued an update to clarify the definition of a business with the objective of adding guidance to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions of assets or businesses. This new guidance becomes effective for the Partnership in the first quarter of fiscal 2019 and is applied prospectively. The Partnership is evaluating the impact of this standard on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures. In October 2016, the FASB issued an update which amends the guidance on related parties that are under common control. Specifically, this update requires that a single decision maker consider indirect interests held by related parties under common control on a proportionate basis in a manner consistent with its evaluation of indirect interests held through other related parties. That is, the single decision maker does not consider indirect interests held through related parties as equivalent to direct interests in determining whether it meets the economics criterion to be a primary beneficiary. This new guidance becomes effective for the Partnership in the first quarter of fiscal 2018. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. The Partnership is evaluating the impact of this standard on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures. In October 2016, the FASB issued an update which eliminates a prior exception and now requires an entity to recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory, such as property and equipment, when such transfer occurs. This new guidance becomes effective for the Partnership in the first quarter of fiscal 2020 and shall be applied on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative–effect adjustment directly to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption. Early adoption is permitted. The Partnership is evaluating the impact of this standard on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures. In August 2016, the FASB issued an update to the statement of cash flows guidance, which addresses eight specific cash flow issues with the objective of reducing the existing diversity in practice. One identified cash flow issue relates to distributions received from equity method investees whereby the reporting entity should make an accounting policy election to classify distributions received from equity method investees using either the cumulative earnings approach or the nature of the distribution approach. This new guidance becomes effective for the Partnership in the first quarter of fiscal 2018 and is applied retrospectively. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. The Partnership is evaluating the change in accounting policy from the cumulative earnings approach to the nature of the distribution approach and the impact on its consolidated statements of cash flows and disclosures. In March 2016, the FASB issued an update to the equity method investments guidance, which eliminates the requirement that an entity retroactively adopt the equity method of accounting if an investment qualifies for use of the equity method as a result of an increase in the level of ownership or degree of influence. The update requires that the equity method investor add the cost of acquiring the additional interest in the investee to the current basis of the investor’s previously held interest and adopt the equity method of accounting as of the date the investment becomes qualified for equity method accounting. This new guidance will be effective for the Partnership beginning on December 1, 2017 using a modified retrospective approach. The modified retrospective approach includes a number of optional practical expedients that entities may elect to apply. The Partnership is evaluating the impact of this standard on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures. In February 2016, the FASB issued an update to the lease accounting guidance, which requires entities to begin recording assets and liabilities arising from substantially all leases on the balance sheet. The new guidance will also require significant additional disclosures about the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows from leases. This new guidance will be effective for the Partnership beginning on December 1, 2019 using a modified retrospective approach. The modified retrospective approach includes a number of optional practical expedients that entities may elect to apply. The Partnership is evaluating the impact of this standard on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures. In August 2014, the FASB issued an update to the standards to require management to evaluate whether there are conditions and events that raise substantial doubt about the Partnership’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date the financial statements are issued, and to provide related disclosures. The Partnership adopted the new guidance beginning on December 1, 2016 and the impact of this standard on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures is not material. In May 2014, the FASB issued a new revenue recognition standard based on the principle that revenue is recognized to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods and services. The FASB has issued several updates to the standard which (i) clarify the application of the principal versus agent guidance; (ii) clarify the guidance relating to performance obligations and licensing; and (iii) clarify assessment of the collectability criterion, presentation of sales taxes, measurement date for non-cash consideration and completed contracts at transaction. The new revenue recognition standard, amended by the updates, becomes effective for the Partnership in the first quarter of fiscal 2019 and is to be applied retrospectively using one of two prescribed methods. Early adoption is permitted. The Partnership is currently evaluating and considering the possibility of early adoption of the new standard effective December 1, 2017. The Partnership’s ability to early adopt, potentially using the modified retrospective method, is dependent on process, internal control and system readiness and a complete evaluation of all the disclosures required under the new standard. While the Partnership is continuing to assess all potential impacts of the standard, it currently believes the impact on its consolidated financial statements is not material because over 90% of the Partnership’s total revenue for all periods is comprised of lease revenue, which is substantially unchanged under the new standard. Other than as described above, there has been no issued accounting guidance not yet adopted by the Partnership that it believes is material or potentially material to its consolidated financial statements.