Business combination capital contribution received from tax equity investor.

No definition available.

Name:	cafd_BusinessCombinationCapitalContributionReceivedFromTaxEquityInvestor
Namespace Prefix:	cafd_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Closing payment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of all phases of the business. The cash portion only of the acquisition price.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Percentage of purchase price funded with cash on hand, drawings under revolving credit facility, and drawings under delayed draw term loan facility.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cafd_PercentageOfPurchasePriceFunded
Namespace Prefix:	cafd_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
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

The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of business during the period. The cash portion only of the acquisition price.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Investing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3213-108585

+ Details

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

- Definition

The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of a business, net of the cash acquired from the purchase.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3213-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Investing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=cafd_OpCoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=cafd_KingbirdPurchaseAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Business Combinations - Kingbird Acquisition Additional Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands					11 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	May 31, 2016	May 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Feb. 26, 2016	Nov. 30, 2015	Nov. 30, 2017	Nov. 30, 2016
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to acquire businesses					$ 0	$ 317,558	$ 284,797
OpCo \| Kingbird Purchase Agreement
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payment to acquire business			$ 60,000
Payment at closing			$ 42,900
Payments to acquire businesses	$ 17,100
Percentage of purchase price funded			100.00%
Purchase price payments						$ 58,500
Business combination capital contribution received from tax equity investor	$ 46,800	$ 46,800		$ 11,700