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

No definition available.

Name:	cafd_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedAssetRetirementObligation
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

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

- 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

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionLineItems
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

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationAcquisitionOfLessThan100PercentNoncontrollingInterestFairValue
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

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedPropertyPlantAndEquipment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredGoodwillAndLiabilitiesAssumedLessNoncontrollingInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PublicUtilityAxis=cafd_KernProjectEntityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PublicUtilityAxis=cafd_KernProjectEntityBMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PublicUtilityAxis=cafd_KernProjectEntityTwoAMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PublicUtilityAxis=cafd_KernProjectEntityTwoBMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PublicUtilityAxis=cafd_KernProjectEntityTwoCMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Business Combinations - Purchase Allocation for Acquired Assets and Liabilities and Non Controlling Interests (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 09, 2017	Feb. 24, 2017	Nov. 30, 2016	Sep. 09, 2016	Jan. 26, 2016
Kern Phase 1(a) Assets
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Property and equipment					$ 9,510
Related party payable					(3,435)
Asset retirement obligation					(322)
Noncontrolling interest					(866)
Net assets acquired					$ 4,887
Kern Phase 1(b) Assets
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Property and equipment				$ 18,856
Related party payable				(7,123)
Asset retirement obligation				(785)
Noncontrolling interest				(1,794)
Net assets acquired				$ 9,154
Kern Phase 2(a) Assets
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Property and equipment			$ 14,873
Related party payable			(4,504)
Asset retirement obligation			(623)
Noncontrolling interest			(1,332)
Net assets acquired			$ 8,414
Kern Phase 2(b) Assets
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Property and equipment		$ 11,872
Related party payable		(4,287)
Asset retirement obligation		(493)
Noncontrolling interest		(1,078)
Net assets acquired		$ 6,014
Kern Phase 2(c) Assets
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Property and equipment	$ 6,710
Related party payable	(2,618)
Asset retirement obligation	(279)
Noncontrolling interest	(658)
Net assets acquired	$ 3,155