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INVESTMENTS IN AFFILIATES - Other investments (Details) $ in Thousands |  |  |  |  | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Sep. 08, 2015 USD ($) item | May 23, 2012 USD ($) | Jul. 04, 2011 USD ($) | Dec. 17, 2009 USD ($) item | Jun. 30, 2016 | Mar. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Aug. 31, 2013 USD ($) item | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) | Oct. 07, 2016
Other investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash consideration for acquisition of the entity |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 124,737 | $ 84,389 | $ 72 |
Equity in earnings (loss) of unconsolidated investees |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (4,404) | $ (643) | $ 487 |
Gaochuangte |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership Percentage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 40.00% | 40.00% |  |
GCL-CSI (Suzhou) Photovoltaic Technology Co., Ltd. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership Percentage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 10.00% |  |
CSI Skypower |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash consideration for acquisition of the entity |  | $ 3,429 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership Percentage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 50.00% | 50.00% | 50.00% |  |
Number of board members designated by the acquired entity | item |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2 |  |  |  |
Number of board members | item |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4 |  |  |  |
Cash consideration for acquisition of the interest |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 4,000 |  |  |  |
2 separate utility-scale solar power projects |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of interest sold |  |  |  |  | 5.00% |  | 95.00% |  |  |  |  |
City Light |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership Percentage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5.00% |  |
Percentage of interest sold |  |  |  |  | 5.00% | 95.00% |  |  |  |  |  |
Suzhou Financial Leasing Co., Ltd. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership Percentage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6.00% | 6.00% |  |
Tranquillity |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership Percentage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 49.00% | 49.00% |  |
Roserock |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership Percentage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 49.00% | 49.00% |  |
Garland |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership Percentage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 49.00% | 49.00% |  |
Pirapora Solar Holding S.A. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership Percentage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 20.00% |  |  |
Percentage of ownership interest |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 20.00%
SZCC, or CSI Cells Co., Ltd. | Gaochuangte |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash consideration for acquisition of the entity |  |  |  | $ 2,929 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership Percentage |  |  |  | 40.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of board members designated by the acquired entity | item |  |  |  | 1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of board members | item |  |  |  | 3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash consideration for acquisition of the interest |  |  | $ 3,119 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
SZSP | GCL-CSI (Suzhou) Photovoltaic Technology Co., Ltd. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash consideration for acquisition of the entity |  |  | $ 2,549 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership Percentage |  |  | 10.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
SZSP | Suzhou Financial Leasing Co., Ltd. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of board members | item | 1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash consideration for acquisition of the interest | $ 13,860 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Voting interest hold (as a percent) | 6.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
EDF | Pirapora Solar Holding S.A. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of ownership interest |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 80.00%

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