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[Member] Nomura Capital Investment Co., Ltd. and Aozora Bank, Ltd. 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Includes an entity's share of an equity investee's Increase or Decrease in deferred hedging gains or losses. Debt Instrument [Line Items] Debt Instrument [Line Items] Common stock issued for share-based compensation, shares Shares Issued, Shares, Share-Based Payment Arrangement, after Forfeiture Total lease liabilities Operating Lease, Liability Segment Reporting Segment Reporting Disclosure [Text Block] Project assets Project Assets, Current And Noncurrent [Abstract] Project assets, current and noncurrent. Selling, general and administrative [Member] Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member] Debt Securities, Available-for-sale, Allowance for Credit Loss, Period Increase (Decrease) Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Allowance for Credit Loss, Period Increase (Decrease) Derivative, gain (loss) on derivative, net Derivative, Gain (Loss) on Derivative, Net LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Liabilities and Equity [Abstract] Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] Solar Power Systems [Member] Solar Power Systems, Sales of [Member] Solar Power Systems, Sales of [Member] Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Table] Fair Value, Recurring and Nonrecurring [Table] Debt Securities, Available-for-sale, Amortized Cost Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost Cash and Marketable Securities Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Marketable Securities [Text Block] Long-term Debt, Maturity, Remainder of Fiscal Year Long-Term Debt, Maturity, Remainder of Fiscal Year Weighted-average number of shares used in per share calculations: Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted [Abstract] Inventories Inventories - current Inventory, Net Bilateral Facilities [Member] Bilateral Facilities [Member] Bilateral Facilities [Member] Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Marketable Securities [Table] Investment table [Table] The line items identify information about the investment. Accounts payable Accounts Payable, Current Restricted marketable securities Restricted Assets Disclosure [Text Block] Long-Term Debt, Maturity, Year Four Long-Term Debt, Maturity, Year Four Hedging Relationship [Domain] Hedging Relationship [Domain] Available-for-sale Marketable Securities by Maturity Investments Classified by Contractual Maturity Date [Table Text Block] Hedging Designation [Axis] Hedging Designation [Axis] Total cash and marketable securities Investments and Cash Entity Filer Category Entity Filer Category Stockholders' equity: Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Abstract] Basic Weighted-average common shares outstanding Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic Accrued property, plant and equipment Accrued Property, Plant And Equipment Accrued property, plant and equipment. Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents [Axis] Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents [Axis] Disposal Groups [Table] Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Table] Solar Modules [Member] Solar Module [Member] Solar module segment. Liabilities: Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure [Abstract] Share-based compensation expense Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Expense Commitments and contingencies Commitments and Contingencies Accounts receivable unbilled, net Accounts receivable unbilled, net Accounts Receivable Unbilled, after Allowance for Credit Loss Accounts Receivable Unbilled, after Allowance for Credit Loss Security Exchange Name Security Exchange Name Consumption Tax Facility Consumption Tax Facility [Member] Consumption Tax Facility Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] Derivative, notional amount Derivative, Notional Amount Brazil, Brazil Real Brazil, Brazil Real Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount Financial Instruments, Financial Liabilities, Balance Sheet Groupings [Abstract] Financial Instruments, Financial Liabilities, Balance Sheet Groupings [Abstract] Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Fixed Rate Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Fixed Rate Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Fixed Rate Cover [Abstract] Schedule of Long-term Debt Instruments [Table] Schedule of Long-Term Debt Instruments [Table] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] Total amount reclassified Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest Goodwill impairment Goodwill, Impairment Loss Share-Based Compensation Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Text Block] Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items] Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items] Work in process Inventory, Work in Process, Net of Reserves Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Text Block] Revenue from Contract with Customer [Text Block] US Government Debt Securities [Member] US Government Debt Securities [Member] Investments [Domain] Investments [Domain] Derivative instruments Derivative Asset, Current Payments of tax withholdings for restricted shares Payment, Tax Withholding, Share-Based Payment Arrangement Total liabilities and stockholders' equity Liabilities and Equity Long-term Debt, Type [Axis] Long-Term Debt, Type [Axis] Goodwill Goodwill [Roll Forward] Land [Member] Land [Member] Cash Cash Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Disposal Group Name [Domain] Disposal Group Name [Domain] Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items] Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Expensed and Capitalized, Amount [Line Items] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] Supplemental Income Statement Elements [Abstract] Supplemental Income Statement Elements [Abstract] Current Fiscal Year End Date Current Fiscal Year End Date Marketable Securities, Realized Gain Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Realized Gain Less: interest Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Undiscounted Excess Amount Intangible assets, net Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill) Diluted Net income per share, diluted Earnings Per Share, Diluted Share-based compensation expense APIC, Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Increase for Cost Recognition Derivative Financial Instruments, Risk Management [Table] Derivative Financial Instruments, Risk Management [Table] Derivative financial instruments risk management table. Total current liabilities Liabilities, Current Operating lease liabilities, future payments, due 2024 Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, to be Paid, Year Two Other current assets Other current assets Other Assets, Current Schedule of Accounts Receivable Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Table Text Block] Other Other Sundry Liabilities, Current Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Table] Schedule of Available-for-Sale Securities [Table] Debt Securities, Available-for-sale, Maturities, Rolling Year Four Through Five Debt Securities, Available-for-sale, Maturities, Rolling Year Four Through Five Debt Securities, Available-for-sale, Maturities, Rolling Year Four Through Five PV solar power systems [Member] PV solar power systems [Member] PV solar power systems [Member] Schedule of Project Assets Schedule of Project Assets Current and Noncurrent [Table Text Block] [Text Block] Schedule of Project Assets Current and Noncurrent [Table Text Block] [Text Block] Disposal Groups, Disclosure Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations, Disclosure [Text Block] Remaining Performance Obligation, Aggregate Transaction Price Revenue, Remaining Performance Obligation, Amount Fair Values Derivatives, Balance Sheet Location, by Derivative Contract Type [Table] Fair Values Derivatives, Balance Sheet Location, by Derivative Contract Type [Table] Spare maintenance materials and parts Spare maintenance materials and parts Spare maintenance materials and parts Schedule of Allowance for Credit Losses Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss [Table Text Block] Operating lease liability maturity Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Maturity [Table Text Block] Foreign government obligations [Member] Debt Security, Government, Non-US [Member] Purchase price, sale of business Purchase price, sale of business Purchase price, sale of business Income tax receivable and payable Increase (Decrease) in Income Taxes Payable, Net of Income Taxes Receivable Significant Change in Unrecognized Tax Benefits is Reasonably Possible, Amount of Unrecorded Benefit Significant Change in Unrecognized Tax Benefits is Reasonably Possible, Amount of Unrecorded Benefit Entity Address, Address Line One Entity Address, Address Line One Net tax effect Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Tax Other assets Other Assets, Noncurrent [Abstract] FS India Solar Ventures Private Limited FS India Solar Ventures Private Limited [Member] FS India Solar Ventures Private Limited Product and Service [Axis] Product and Service [Axis] Financial Instruments, Financial Assets, Balance Sheet Groupings [Abstract] Financial Instruments, Financial Assets, Balance Sheet Groupings [Abstract] Class of Stock [Domain] Class of Stock [Domain] Letters of Credit, Remaining Borrowing Capacity Letters of Credit, Remaining Borrowing Capacity Letters of Credit, Remaining Borrowing Capacity Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract] Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract] Project assets - development costs, including project acquisition and land costs Project Assets, Development and Land Costs Project Assets, Development Costs. Includes current and noncurrent project acquisition and land costs. Deferred revenue, noncurrent Deferred Revenue, Noncurrent Deferred Revenue, Noncurrent Interest expense, net Interest Expense Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract] Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract] Derivative instruments, gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated OCI into income, effective portion, net Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated OCI into Income, Effective Portion, Net Yatsubo Credit Facility Yatsubo Credit Facility [Member] Yatsubo Credit Facility Inventories Inventories - noncurrent Inventory, Noncurrent Schedule of Accrued Expenses Schedule of Accrued Liabilities [Table Text Block] United States of America, Dollars United States of America, Dollars Cash and Cash Equivalents [Domain] Cash and Cash Equivalents [Domain] Schedule of Long-term Debt Instruments Schedule of Long-Term Debt Instruments [Table Text Block] Machinery and equipment [Member] Machinery and Equipment [Member] Entity Tax Identification Number Entity Tax Identification Number Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] Parque Solar Fotovoltaico Luz del Norte SpA [Member] Parque Solar Fotovoltaico Luz del Norte SpA [Member] Parque Solar Fotovoltaico Luz del Norte SpA [Member] Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items] Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items] [Line Items] for Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Table] Intangible assets, accumulated impairment Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Impairment Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Impairment Disaggregation of Revenue, by Type of Revenue [Table Text Block] Disaggregation of Revenue [Table Text Block] Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract] Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract] Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset Derivative Asset, Not Subject to Master Netting Arrangement Cash [Member] Cash [Member] Tax withholding related to vesting of restricted stock, shares Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Shares Withheld for Tax Withholding Obligation Mizuho Bank [Member] Mizuho Bank [Member] Mizuho Bank [Member] Indemnification liabilities, maximum exposure Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Operating Lease Assets Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Operating Lease Assets Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Operating Lease Assets Other Other Assets, Miscellaneous, Current Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash, and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Including Exchange Rate Effect Effect of restricted stock and performance units Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted, Adjustment Cash Held In Trust [Member] Cash Held In Custodial Accounts [Member] Cash Held In Custodial Accounts Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Short-term Investments [Abstract] Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Short-Term Investments [Abstract] Restricted marketable securities Restricted marketable securities Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Restricted Entity Central Index Key Entity Central Index Key Interest income Investment Income, Interest Fair Value by Measurement Frequency [Axis] Measurement Frequency [Axis] Finite-Lived Intangible Assets by Major Class [Axis] Finite-Lived Intangible Assets by Major Class [Axis] Proceeds to be received from sales of businesses Proceeds to be received from sales of businesses Proceeds to be received from sales of businesses Tax withholding related to vesting of restricted stock Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Decrease for Tax Withholding Obligation Other Other Accrued Liabilities, Current Production start-up Production Start-up Expense [Member] Production Start-up Expense Entity [Domain] Entity [Domain] Maximum Length of Time, Net Investment Hedge Maximum Length of Time, Net Investment Hedge Maximum Length of Time, Net Investment Hedge City Area Code City Area Code Fixed Rate Term Loan Facility [Member] Fixed Rate Term Loan Facility [Member] Fixed Rate Term Loan Facility Accounts receivable trade, Provision for credit losses, net Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Period Increase (Decrease) ASSETS Assets [Abstract] Other current assets Increase (Decrease) in Other Current Assets Long-term Debt, Type [Domain] Long-Term Debt, Type [Domain] Euro Member Countries, Euro Euro Member Countries, Euro Statement of Stockholders' Equity [Abstract] Statement of Stockholders' Equity [Abstract] O&M Services [Member] Operations and Maintenance [Member] Operations and Maintenance [Member] Proceeds from sales and maturities of marketable securities and restricted marketable securities Proceeds from Maturities, Prepayments and Calls of Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale Cash flows from financing activities: Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract] Variable Rate Term Loan Facility [Member] Variable Rate Term Loan Facility [Member] Variable Rate Term Loan Facility Product Warranty Liability [Table] Product Warranty Liability [Table] Schedule of Other Current Assets Deferred Costs, Capitalized, Prepaid, and Other Assets Disclosure [Table Text Block] Asset Class [Axis] Asset Class [Axis] Long-Term Debt, Maturity, Year One Long-Term Debt, Maturity, Year One Supplemental disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities: Cash Flow, Noncash Investing and Financing Activities Disclosure [Abstract] Share-based compensation Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Noncash Expense Other liabilities Other liabilities Other Liabilities, Noncurrent Purchases of property, plant and equipment Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment Impairments and net losses on disposal of long-lived assets Asset Impairment Charges Research and development [Member] Research and Development Expense [Member] Proceeds from sales of businesses, net of cash and restricted cash sold Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses, Net of Cash Divested Schedule of Net Income Per Share, Basic and Diluted Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Table Text Block] First Solar Japan GK [Member] First Solar Japan GK [Member] First Solar Japan GK Lease assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities Right-of-Use Asset Obtained in Exchange for Operating Lease Liability Luz del Norte Credit Facilities [Member] Luz del Norte Credit Facilities [Member] Luz del Norte Credit Facilities [Member] Cost of sales Cost of sales [Member] Cost of Sales [Member]