Contractual floating interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

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- Definition

Amount of interest capitalized on project assets during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

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Amount of interest capitalized on property, plant, and equipment during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of interest capitalized on solar system during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Represents the repayment period of the first tranche of credit facility.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Represents the number of tranches.

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Exercise price per share or per unit of warrants or rights outstanding.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(i)(4))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

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- Definition

Number of securities into which the class of warrant or right may be converted. For example, but not limited to, 500,000 warrants may be converted into 1,000,000 shares.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(i)(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
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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.

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- Definition

Amount of the required periodic payments applied to principal.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)
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- Definition

Total interest costs incurred during the period and either capitalized or charged against earnings.

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450988&loc=d3e26243-108391

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.9)
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- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16)
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Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 19, 20, 22
-Article 5

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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- Definition

The parent entity's interest in net assets of the subsidiary, expressed as a percentage.

+ References

No definition available.

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BORROWINGS (Details 4) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands			12 Months Ended
BORROWINGS (Details 4) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	Jun. 25, 2014 USD ($) item	Feb. 28, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 11, 2015 $ / shares shares	Oct. 26, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Aug. 17, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 17, 2015 USD ($)	May. 18, 2015 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 27, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 04, 2013 USD ($)	Oct. 28, 2013 USD ($)	Aug. 28, 2013 USD ($)	Oct. 29, 2011 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 USD ($)
Interest expense
Interest capitalized - project assets			$ 102	$ 10,304	$ 17,293
Interest capitalized - solar power system			23,328
Interest capitalized - property, plant, and equipment			912	203	348
Interest expense			54,148	48,906	46,244
Total interest incurred			78,490	$ 59,413	$ 63,885
Credit facility
BORROWINGS
Maximum borrowing capacity			$ 2,770,957
Credit facility \| Minimum
BORROWINGS
Floating interest rate (as a percent)			2.55%
Fixed rate (as a percent)			0.00%
Credit facility \| Maximum
BORROWINGS
Floating interest rate (as a percent)			12.80%
Fixed rate (as a percent)			1.45%
Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2016
BORROWINGS
Outstanding balance of credit facility			$ 894,643
Syndicated loan agreement arranged by Credit Suisse \| Senior secured term loan
BORROWINGS
Maximum borrowing capacity							$ 200,000
Outstanding balance of credit facility			180,000
Maximum number of common stock could be purchased by Warrants \| shares						940,171	1,348,040
Exercise price of warrant (in dollars per share) \| $ / shares						$ 28.08	$ 24.48
Syndicated loan agreement arranged by Credit Suisse \| Senior secured term loan \| Repayment due in 2017
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			180,000
China Minsheng Banking Corp. Ltd. \| Loan agreement for acquisitions \| Credit facility
BORROWINGS
Maximum borrowing capacity											$ 210,000
Outstanding balance of credit facility			210,000
China Minsheng Banking Corp. Ltd. \| Loan agreement for acquisitions \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2016
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			10,000
China Minsheng Banking Corp. Ltd. \| Loan agreement for acquisitions \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2017
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			10,000
China Minsheng Banking Corp. Ltd. \| Loan agreement for acquisitions \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2018
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			190,000
CSI New Energy Holding Co., Ltd. \| Bank of Jiangsu \| Loan agreement for construction of solar power project \| Credit facility
BORROWINGS
Maximum borrowing capacity													$ 15,092
Outstanding balance of credit facility			6,160
CSI New Energy Holding Co., Ltd. \| Bank of Jiangsu \| Loan agreement for construction of solar power project \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2016
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			308
CSI New Energy Holding Co., Ltd. \| Bank of Jiangsu \| Loan agreement for construction of solar power project \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2017
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			770
CSI New Energy Holding Co., Ltd. \| Bank of Jiangsu \| Loan agreement for construction of solar power project \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2018
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			924
CSI New Energy Holding Co., Ltd. \| Bank of Jiangsu \| Loan agreement for construction of solar power project \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2019
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			924
CSI New Energy Holding Co., Ltd. \| Bank of Jiangsu \| Loan agreement for construction of solar power project \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2020 and thereafter
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			3,234
SZCC, or CSI Cells \| Local Chinese commercial banks \| Loan agreement entered on October 29, 2011 \| Credit facility
BORROWINGS
Maximum borrowing capacity																	$ 47,225
Outstanding balance of credit facility			47,225
SZCC, or CSI Cells \| Local Chinese commercial banks \| Loan agreement entered on October 29, 2011 \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2016
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			23,774
SZCC, or CSI Cells \| Local Chinese commercial banks \| Loan agreement entered on October 29, 2011 \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2017
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			23,451
SZCC, or CSI Cells \| State-owned trust company \| Loan agreement for research of Solar Photovoltaic Technology \| Credit facility
BORROWINGS
Maximum borrowing capacity															$ 1,078
SZCC, or CSI Cells \| State-owned trust company \| Loan agreement for research of Solar Photovoltaic Technology \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2016
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			1,078
Canadian Solar Japan K.K. \| Japanese bank \| Credit facility
BORROWINGS
Maximum borrowing capacity		$ 46
Repayment of credit facility		$ 32
Outstanding balance of credit facility			46
Canadian Solar Japan K.K. \| Japanese bank \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2016
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			46
Canadian Solar International Project 1 Limited
BORROWINGS
Percentage of ownership interest					100.00%
Canadian Solar International Project 1 Limited \| Harvest North Star Capital \| Loan agreement for financing the development of several ground-mounted solar power projects in Japan \| Credit facility
BORROWINGS
Maximum borrowing capacity														$ 32,410
Outstanding balance of credit facility			32,410
Canadian Solar International Project 1 Limited \| Harvest North Star Capital \| Loan agreement for financing the development of several ground-mounted solar power projects in Japan \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2016
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			32,410
Canadian Solar International Project 2 Limited \| Rabobank International Hong Kong Branch \| Loan agreement for financing the development of several ground-mounted solar power projects in Japan \| Credit facility
BORROWINGS
Maximum borrowing capacity										$ 29,072
Outstanding balance of credit facility			25,343
Canadian Solar International Project 2 Limited \| Rabobank International Hong Kong Branch \| Loan agreement for financing the development of several ground-mounted solar power projects in Japan \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2017
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			25,343
SZSP \| China Development Bank, Suzhou Branch \| Loan agreement for construction of solar power projects \| Credit facility
BORROWINGS
Maximum borrowing capacity																$ 6,006
Outstanding balance of credit facility			6,006
SZSP \| China Development Bank, Suzhou Branch \| Loan agreement for construction of solar power projects \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2016
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			1,078
SZSP \| China Development Bank, Suzhou Branch \| Loan agreement for construction of solar power projects \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2017
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			1,078
SZSP \| China Development Bank, Suzhou Branch \| Loan agreement for construction of solar power projects \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2018
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			1,078
SZSP \| China Development Bank, Suzhou Branch \| Loan agreement for construction of solar power projects \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2019
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			1,078
SZSP \| China Development Bank, Suzhou Branch \| Loan agreement for construction of solar power projects \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2020 and thereafter
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			1,694
CSI-GCL (Yancheng) Solar Manufacturing Co., Ltd. \| Haixin and Kaiyuan \| Loan agreement for construction of solar power projects and production lines \| Credit facility
BORROWINGS
Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 41,579
Outstanding balance of credit facility			30,004
Number of tranches \| item	2
Repayment period of credit facility	3 years
CSI-GCL (Yancheng) Solar Manufacturing Co., Ltd. \| Haixin and Kaiyuan \| Loan agreement for construction of solar power projects and production lines \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2017
BORROWINGS
Outstanding balance of credit facility			12,143
CSI-GCL (Yancheng) Solar Manufacturing Co., Ltd. \| Haixin and Kaiyuan \| Loan agreement for construction of solar power projects and production lines \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2018
BORROWINGS
Outstanding balance of credit facility			17,861
CSI-GCL (Yancheng) Solar Manufacturing Co., Ltd. \| Haixin and Kaiyuan \| Loan agreement for construction of solar power projects and production lines \| First tranche
BORROWINGS
Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 23,100
Outstanding balance of credit facility			11,899
CSI-GCL (Yancheng) Solar Manufacturing Co., Ltd. \| Haixin and Kaiyuan \| Loan agreement for construction of solar power projects and production lines \| Second tranche
BORROWINGS
Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 18,479
Outstanding balance of credit facility			18,105
RE Cranbury Solar 1 LLC
BORROWINGS
Percentage of ownership interest												100.00%
RE Cranbury Solar 1 LLC \| Macquarie Energy LLC \| Credit facility
BORROWINGS
Maximum borrowing capacity												$ 4,000
Outstanding balance of credit facility			4,000
RE Cranbury Solar 1 LLC \| Macquarie Energy LLC \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2017
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			4,000
Several 100% owned subsidiaries of Recurrent
BORROWINGS
Percentage of ownership interest												100.00%
Several 100% owned subsidiaries of Recurrent \| Kaiser Foundation Hospitals \| Credit facility
BORROWINGS
Maximum borrowing capacity												$ 9,903
Outstanding balance of credit facility			9,903
Several 100% owned subsidiaries of Recurrent \| Kaiser Foundation Hospitals \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2016
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			157
Several 100% owned subsidiaries of Recurrent \| Kaiser Foundation Hospitals \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2017
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			131
Several 100% owned subsidiaries of Recurrent \| Kaiser Foundation Hospitals \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2018
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			185
Several 100% owned subsidiaries of Recurrent \| Kaiser Foundation Hospitals \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2019
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			245
Several 100% owned subsidiaries of Recurrent \| Kaiser Foundation Hospitals \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2020 and thereafter
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			9,185
2225228 Ontario Inc., 3G Alfred and Beam Light LP
BORROWINGS
Percentage of ownership interest									100.00%
2225228 Ontario Inc., 3G Alfred and Beam Light LP \| Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas \| Credit facility
BORROWINGS
Maximum borrowing capacity									$ 51,556
Outstanding balance of credit facility			45,386
2225228 Ontario Inc., 3G Alfred and Beam Light LP \| Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2017
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			45,386
Canadian Solar New Energy (Kuan Cheng) Co. Ltd.
BORROWINGS
Percentage of ownership interest								100.00%
Canadian Solar New Energy (Kuan Cheng) Co. Ltd. \| Local Chinese commercial banks \| Credit facility
BORROWINGS
Maximum borrowing capacity								$ 15,400
Outstanding balance of credit facility			6,160
Canadian Solar New Energy (Kuan Cheng) Co. Ltd. \| Local Chinese commercial banks \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2016
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			308
Canadian Solar New Energy (Kuan Cheng) Co. Ltd. \| Local Chinese commercial banks \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2017
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			1,232
Canadian Solar New Energy (Kuan Cheng) Co. Ltd. \| Local Chinese commercial banks \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2018
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			1,694
Canadian Solar New Energy (Kuan Cheng) Co. Ltd. \| Local Chinese commercial banks \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2019
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			1,694
Canadian Solar New Energy (Kuan Cheng) Co. Ltd. \| Local Chinese commercial banks \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2020 and thereafter
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			1,232
SSM \| Norddeutsche Landesbank Giozentrale \| Credit facility
BORROWINGS
Maximum borrowing capacity																		$ 136,926
Outstanding balance of credit facility			134,304
SSM \| Norddeutsche Landesbank Giozentrale \| Credit facility \| Repayment due in 2016
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			46,967
SSM \| Norddeutsche Landesbank Giozentrale \| Credit facility \| Repayment Due In 2019 And Thereafter
BORROWINGS
Repayment of credit facility			$ 87,337
Recurrent
BORROWINGS
Percentage of ownership interest												100.00%