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SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Investments in affiliates (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014
Investments in affiliates |  |  |
Impairment charges on investments |  | $ 0 | $ 0
Impairment of long-lived assets |  |  |
Impairment charges for property, plant and equipment | $ 22,757 | 6,992 | 1,573
Assets retirement obligation |  |  |
Assets Retirement Obligation (ARO) included in solar power systems | 1,503 | 7,574 |
Revenue recognition |  |  |
Inventories relating to unrecognized revenue | 5,900 | 7,300 | 7,500
Performance-based energy incentives recognized | 22,800 | 16,100 | 2,000
Total lease income recognized related to PPAs | 6,200 | 6,100 | 0
Shipping and handling costs |  |  |
Shipping and handling costs relating to sales | 68,451 | 73,008 | 55,671
Research and development |  |  |
Research and development expenses | $ 17,407 | 17,056 | 12,057
Minimum |  |  |
Revenue recognition |  |  |
Construction period | 6 months |  |
Maximum |  |  |
Revenue recognition |  |  |
Construction period | 1 year |  |
Other liabilities |  |  |
Revenue recognition |  |  |
Assets sold under profit sharing arrangement | $ 4,800 | 0 |
Toll manufacturing arrangements |  |  |
Revenue recognition |  |  |
Revenue recognized | 0 | 6,764 | 16,578
Disposal of solar power projects, option to repurchase |  |  |
Revenue recognition |  |  |
Revenue recognized | 0 |  |
Revenue recognized using the full accrual method | 22,237 | 557,132 | 754,210
Revenue recognized using the percentage-of-completion method | 428 | 863 | $ 137,726
Disposal of solar power projects, option to repurchase | Financing liabilities |  |  |
Revenue recognition |  |  |
Financing liabilities | 459,300 |  |
Distributions from the partnership | $ 1,400 | 0 |
Disposal of solar power projects, option to repurchase | Other non-current liabilities |  |  |
Revenue recognition |  |  |
Financing liabilities |  | $ 3,200 |

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- Definition Net carrying amount of the property and any related existing debt assumed by the buyer in a sale of projects accounted for profit sharing arrangement and cash received from the buyer. The amount is recorded in investments in affiliates or other liabilities on the balance sheet depending on whether the amount is a debit or credit. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The carrying amount of a liability for an asset retirement obligation. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, construction or development, or the normal operations of a long-lived asset, except for certain obligations of lessees. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Asset Retirement Obligation -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6505190 + Details
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- Definition The total amount of revenue recognized for the period from operating leases, including minimum lease revenue, contingent revenue, percentage revenue and sublease revenue. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 20 -Section 25 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7501430&loc=d3e39896-112707 + Details
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- Definition The aggregate costs incurred (1) in a planned search or critical investigation aimed at discovery of new knowledge with the hope that such knowledge will be useful in developing a new product or service, a new process or technique, or in bringing about a significant improvement to an existing product or process; or (2) to translate research findings or other knowledge into a plan or design for a new product or process or for a significant improvement to an existing product or process whether intended for sale or the entity's use, during the reporting period charged to research and development projects, including the costs of developing computer software up to the point in time of achieving technological feasibility, and costs allocated in accounting for a business combination to in-process projects deemed to have no alternative future use. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 730 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6420194&loc=d3e21568-108373 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 985 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6501960&loc=d3e128462-111756 + Details
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