$FSLR
First Solar Inc Stock $fslr

$fslr Overview Financials Valuation SEC Filings Company Website

2021 Q4 Form 10-K Financial Statement

#000127449422000009 Filed on March 01, 2022

Income Statement

Concept	2021 Q4	2021	2020 Q4
Revenue	$907.3M	$2.923B	$609.2M
YoY Change	48.94%	7.82%	-56.47%
Cost Of Revenue	$660.8M	$2.193B	$449.4M
YoY Change	47.05%	8.02%	-57.83%
Gross Profit	$246.5M	$730.0M	$159.9M
YoY Change	54.15%	7.24%	-52.07%
Gross Profit Margin	27.17%	24.97%	26.25%
Selling, General & Admin	$43.45M	$170.3M	$79.40M
YoY Change	-45.28%	-23.6%	26.03%
% of Gross Profit	17.63%	23.33%	49.66%
Research & Development	$29.88M	$99.12M	$22.70M
YoY Change	31.63%	5.74%	-10.63%
% of Gross Profit	12.12%	13.58%	14.2%
Depreciation & Amortization	$65.29M	$259.9M	$59.60M
YoY Change	9.55%	11.59%	7.39%
% of Gross Profit	26.49%	35.6%	37.27%
Operating Expenses	$73.33M	$290.5M	$102.1M
YoY Change	-28.18%	-20.02%	15.5%
Operating Profit	$173.2M	$586.8M	$57.80M
YoY Change	199.58%	84.81%	-76.43%
Interest Expense	-$3.709M	$13.11M	-$2.900M
YoY Change	27.9%	-45.47%	-150.0%
% of Operating Profit	-2.14%	2.23%	-5.02%
Other Income/Expense, Net	-$2.284M	$314.0K	-$3.300M
YoY Change	-30.79%	-102.63%	-115.07%
Pretax Income	$167.2M	$315.3M	$51.60M
YoY Change	223.97%	1302.88%	-157.21%
Income Tax	$35.80M	$103.5M	-$66.40M
% Of Pretax Income	21.41%	32.82%	-128.68%
Net Earnings	$131.4M	$468.7M	$115.7M
YoY Change	13.54%	17.66%	-294.78%
Net Earnings / Revenue	14.48%	16.03%	18.99%
Basic Earnings Per Share		$4.41
Diluted Earnings Per Share	$1.227M	$4.38	$1.080M
COMMON SHARES
Basic Shares Outstanding	106.3M shares	106.3M shares	106.0M shares
Diluted Shares Outstanding		106.9M shares

Balance Sheet

Concept	2021 Q4	2021	2020 Q4
SHORT-TERM ASSETS
Cash & Short-Term Investments	$1.826B	$1.826B	$1.747B
YoY Change	4.52%	4.52%	-19.28%
Cash & Equivalents	$1.451B	$0.00	$1.227B
Short-Term Investments	$375.4M	$375.4M	$520.1M
Other Short-Term Assets	$244.2M	$244.2M	$251.7M
YoY Change	-3.0%	-39.79%	1042.19%
Inventory	$666.3M	$666.3M	$567.6M
Prepaid Expenses	$28.23M		$26.00M
Receivables	$429.4M	$454.7M	$266.1M
Other Receivables	$0.00	$0.00	$1.800M
Total Short-Term Assets	$3.191B	$3.191B	$3.015B
YoY Change	5.86%	5.86%	-16.26%
LONG-TERM ASSETS
Property, Plant & Equipment	$2.650B	$3.074B	$2.402B
YoY Change	10.29%	7.04%	10.14%
Goodwill	$14.46M		$14.46M
YoY Change	0.0%		0.0%
Intangibles	$45.51M		$56.14M
YoY Change	-18.93%		-13.02%
Long-Term Investments	$244.7M	$244.7M
YoY Change
Other Assets	$438.8M	$739.5M	$434.1M
YoY Change	1.07%	-34.91%	31.58%
Total Long-Term Assets	$4.223B	$4.223B	$4.094B
YoY Change	3.13%	3.13%	4.56%
TOTAL ASSETS
Total Short-Term Assets	$3.191B	$3.191B	$3.015B
Total Long-Term Assets	$4.223B	$4.223B	$4.094B
Total Assets	$7.414B	$7.414B	$7.109B
YoY Change	4.29%	4.29%	-5.41%
SHORT-TERM LIABILITIES
YoY Change
Accounts Payable	$193.4M	$193.4M	$183.3M
YoY Change	5.47%	5.5%	-15.93%
Accrued Expenses	$288.5M	$295.8M	$310.5M
YoY Change	-7.09%	-2.13%	-11.61%
Deferred Revenue
YoY Change
Short-Term Debt	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
YoY Change
Long-Term Debt Due	$3.896M	$3.896M	$41.54M
YoY Change	-90.62%	-90.61%	137.24%
Total Short-Term Liabilities	$726.9M	$726.9M	$847.4M
YoY Change	-14.22%	-14.22%	-35.72%
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES
Long-Term Debt	$236.0M	$236.0M	$237.7M
YoY Change	-0.71%	-0.71%	-47.67%
Other Long-Term Liabilities	$352.2M	$463.6M	$372.2M
YoY Change	-5.39%	-7.81%	-26.84%
Total Long-Term Liabilities	$588.2M	$699.6M	$609.9M
YoY Change	-3.57%	-5.53%	-36.66%
TOTAL LIABILITIES
Total Short-Term Liabilities	$726.9M	$726.9M	$847.4M
Total Long-Term Liabilities	$588.2M	$699.6M	$609.9M
Total Liabilities	$1.454B	$1.454B	$1.588B
YoY Change	-8.43%	-8.43%	-34.35%
SHAREHOLDERS EQUITY
Retained Earnings	$3.184B		$2.716B
YoY Change	17.26%		16.73%
Common Stock	$2.871B		$2.867B
YoY Change	0.16%		0.61%
Preferred Stock
YoY Change
Treasury Stock (at cost)
YoY Change
Treasury Stock Shares
Shareholders Equity	$5.960B	$5.960B	$5.521B
YoY Change
Total Liabilities & Shareholders Equity	$7.414B	$7.414B	$7.109B
YoY Change	4.29%	4.29%	-5.41%

Cashflow Statement

Concept	2021 Q4	2021	2020 Q4
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net Income	$131.4M	$468.7M	$115.7M
YoY Change	13.54%	17.66%	-294.78%
Depreciation, Depletion And Amortization	$65.29M	$259.9M	$59.60M
YoY Change	9.55%	11.59%	7.39%
Cash From Operating Activities	-$137.5M	$237.6M	$186.3M
YoY Change	-173.82%	539.98%	-76.17%
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	-$194.9M	$540.3M	-$89.30M
YoY Change	118.24%	29.68%	-43.52%
Acquisitions		$0.00
YoY Change
Other Investing Activities	$179.1M	$6.707M	-$158.2M
YoY Change	-213.24%	21.95%	5.82%
Cash From Investing Activities	-$15.75M	-$99.04M	-$247.5M
YoY Change	-93.64%	-24.53%	-19.56%
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Cash Dividend Paid
YoY Change
Common Stock Issuance & Retirement, Net
YoY Change
Debt Paid & Issued, Net		$72.68M
YoY Change		-67.75%
Cash From Financing Activities	49.76M	$40.55M	15.60M
YoY Change	218.97%	-149.1%	-329.41%
NET CHANGE
Cash From Operating Activities	-137.5M	$237.6M	186.3M
Cash From Investing Activities	-15.75M	-$99.04M	-247.5M
Cash From Financing Activities	49.76M	$40.55M	15.60M
Net Change In Cash	-103.5M	$182.2M	-45.60M
YoY Change	127.01%	-205.39%	-109.76%
FREE CASH FLOW
Cash From Operating Activities	-$137.5M	$237.6M	$186.3M
Capital Expenditures	-$194.9M	$540.3M	-$89.30M
Free Cash Flow	$57.37M	-$302.7M	$275.6M
YoY Change	-79.18%	-20.23%	-70.67%

Facts In Submission

Frame	Concept Type	Concept / XBRL Key	Value	Unit
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CY2021	dei	Entity Central Index Key EntityCentralIndexKey	0001274494
CY2021	dei	Current Fiscal Year End Date CurrentFiscalYearEndDate	--12-31
CY2021	dei	Document Fiscal Year Focus DocumentFiscalYearFocus	2021
CY2021	dei	Document Fiscal Period Focus DocumentFiscalPeriodFocus	FY
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Par Or Stated Value Per Share CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare	0.001
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Par Or Stated Value Per Share CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare	0.001
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Authorized CommonStockSharesAuthorized	500000000	shares
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Authorized CommonStockSharesAuthorized	500000000	shares
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Issued CommonStockSharesIssued	106332315	shares
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Outstanding CommonStockSharesOutstanding	106332315	shares
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Outstanding CommonStockSharesOutstanding	105980466	shares
CY2021	dei	Document Annual Report DocumentAnnualReport	true
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CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Outstanding CommonStockSharesOutstanding	105980466	shares
CY2021	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Unrealized Holding Gain Loss On Securities Arising During Period Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeUnrealizedHoldingGainLossOnSecuritiesArisingDuringPeriodTax	-1497000	USD
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CY2019	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Unrealized Holding Gain Loss On Securities Arising During Period Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeUnrealizedHoldingGainLossOnSecuritiesArisingDuringPeriodTax	-3046000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Cash Flow Hedge Gain Loss After Reclassification Tax Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCashFlowHedgeGainLossAfterReclassificationTaxParent	55000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Cash Flow Hedge Gain Loss After Reclassification Tax Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCashFlowHedgeGainLossAfterReclassificationTaxParent	31000	USD
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CY2021	dei	Document Type DocumentType	10-K
CY2020Q4	fslr	Project Assets Noncurrent ProjectAssetsNoncurrent	373377000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Assets Net DeferredIncomeTaxAssetsNet	59162000	USD
CY2021	dei	Document Period End Date DocumentPeriodEndDate	2021-12-31
CY2021	dei	Document Transition Report DocumentTransitionReport	false
CY2021	dei	Entity File Number EntityFileNumber	001-33156
CY2021	dei	Entity Registrant Name EntityRegistrantName	First Solar, Inc.
CY2021	dei	Entity Incorporation State Country Code EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode	DE
CY2021	dei	Entity Tax Identification Number EntityTaxIdentificationNumber	20-4623678
CY2021	dei	Entity Address Address Line1 EntityAddressAddressLine1	350 West Washington Street, Suite 600
CY2021	dei	Entity Address City Or Town EntityAddressCityOrTown	Tempe
CY2021	dei	Entity Address State Or Province EntityAddressStateOrProvince	AZ
CY2021	dei	Entity Address Postal Zip Code EntityAddressPostalZipCode	85281
CY2021	dei	City Area Code CityAreaCode	602
CY2021	dei	Local Phone Number LocalPhoneNumber	414-9300
CY2021	dei	Security12b Title Security12bTitle	Common stock, $0.001 par value
CY2021	dei	Trading Symbol TradingSymbol	FSLR
CY2021	dei	Security Exchange Name SecurityExchangeName	NASDAQ
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CY2021	dei	Entity Voluntary Filers EntityVoluntaryFilers	No
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CY2021	dei	Entity Filer Category EntityFilerCategory	Large Accelerated Filer
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CY2021	dei	Auditor Firm AuditorFirmId	238
CY2021	dei	Auditor Name AuditorName	PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
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CY2020	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Minority Interest And Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	293190000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Investment Income Interest InvestmentIncomeInterest	6179000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Investment Income Interest InvestmentIncomeInterest	16559000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Investment Income Interest InvestmentIncomeInterest	48886000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Interest Expense InterestExpense	13107000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Interest Expense InterestExpense	24036000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Interest Expense InterestExpense	27066000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Other Nonoperating Income Expense OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	314000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Other Nonoperating Income Expense OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	-11932000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Other Nonoperating Income Expense OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	17545000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Minority Interest And Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	-120129000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	103469000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-107294000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-5480000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	-2129000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	-284000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	468693000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	398355000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-114933000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic EarningsPerShareBasic	4.41
CY2020	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic EarningsPerShareBasic	3.76
CY2019	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic EarningsPerShareBasic	-1.09
CY2021	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Diluted EarningsPerShareDiluted	4.38
CY2020	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Diluted EarningsPerShareDiluted	3.73
CY2019	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Diluted EarningsPerShareDiluted	-1.09
CY2021	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Shares Outstanding Basic WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasic	106263000	shares
CY2020	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Shares Outstanding Basic WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasic	105867000	shares
CY2019	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Shares Outstanding Basic WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasic	105310000	shares
CY2021	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Diluted Shares Outstanding WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding	106924000	shares
CY2021	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	468693000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Net Of Tax Portion Attributable To Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	-34636000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Diluted Shares Outstanding WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding	106686000	shares
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	398355000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-114933000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Diluted Shares Outstanding WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding	105310000	shares
CY2021	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	468693000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Adjustment Net Of Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationAdjustmentNetOfTax	-13213000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Adjustment Net Of Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationAdjustmentNetOfTax	-2810000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Adjustment Net Of Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationAdjustmentNetOfTax	-7049000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Available For Sale Securities Adjustment Net Of Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAvailableForSaleSecuritiesAdjustmentNetOfTax	-24666000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Available For Sale Securities Adjustment Net Of Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAvailableForSaleSecuritiesAdjustmentNetOfTax	21659000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Available For Sale Securities Adjustment Net Of Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAvailableForSaleSecuritiesAdjustmentNetOfTax	-15670000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Cash Flow Hedge Gain Loss After Reclassification And Tax Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCashFlowHedgeGainLossAfterReclassificationAndTaxParent	3243000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Cash Flow Hedge Gain Loss After Reclassification And Tax Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCashFlowHedgeGainLossAfterReclassificationAndTaxParent	-1241000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Cash Flow Hedge Gain Loss After Reclassification And Tax Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCashFlowHedgeGainLossAfterReclassificationAndTaxParent	-2149000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Net Of Tax Portion Attributable To Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	-34636000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Net Of Tax Portion Attributable To Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	17608000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Net Of Tax Portion Attributable To Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	-24868000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	434057000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	415963000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	-139801000	USD
CY2018Q4	us-gaap	Stockholders Equity StockholdersEquity	5212403000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-114933000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Net Of Tax Portion Attributable To Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	-24868000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Value Share Based Compensation StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueShareBasedCompensation	3434000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Adjustments Related To Tax Withholding For Share Based Compensation AdjustmentsRelatedToTaxWithholdingForShareBasedCompensation	16090000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Adjustments To Additional Paid In Capital Sharebased Compensation Requisite Service Period Recognition Value AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalSharebasedCompensationRequisiteServicePeriodRecognitionValue	36821000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Stockholders Equity StockholdersEquity	5096767000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	398355000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Net Of Tax Portion Attributable To Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	17608000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Value Share Based Compensation StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueShareBasedCompensation	1363000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Adjustments Related To Tax Withholding For Share Based Compensation AdjustmentsRelatedToTaxWithholdingForShareBasedCompensation	13118000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Adjustments To Additional Paid In Capital Sharebased Compensation Requisite Service Period Recognition Value AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalSharebasedCompensationRequisiteServicePeriodRecognitionValue	29166000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Stockholders Equity StockholdersEquity	5520928000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Value Share Based Compensation StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueShareBasedCompensation	0	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Adjustments Related To Tax Withholding For Share Based Compensation AdjustmentsRelatedToTaxWithholdingForShareBasedCompensation	15989000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Adjustments To Additional Paid In Capital Sharebased Compensation Requisite Service Period Recognition Value AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalSharebasedCompensationRequisiteServicePeriodRecognitionValue	20555000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Stockholders Equity StockholdersEquity	5959551000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	468693000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	398355000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-114933000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Depreciation Amortization And Accretion Net DepreciationAmortizationAndAccretionNet	259900000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Depreciation Amortization And Accretion Net DepreciationAmortizationAndAccretionNet	232925000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Depreciation Amortization And Accretion Net DepreciationAmortizationAndAccretionNet	205475000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Asset Impairment Charges AssetImpairmentCharges	22876000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Asset Impairment Charges AssetImpairmentCharges	35806000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Asset Impairment Charges AssetImpairmentCharges	7577000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation ShareBasedCompensation	20902000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation ShareBasedCompensation	29267000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation ShareBasedCompensation	37429000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Other Operating Activities Cash Flow Statement OtherOperatingActivitiesCashFlowStatement	-3484000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Other Operating Activities Cash Flow Statement OtherOperatingActivitiesCashFlowStatement	19297000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Deferred Income Taxes And Tax Credits DeferredIncomeTaxesAndTaxCredits	49847000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Deferred Income Taxes And Tax Credits DeferredIncomeTaxesAndTaxCredits	36013000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Deferred Income Taxes And Tax Credits DeferredIncomeTaxesAndTaxCredits	-59917000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Gain Loss On Sale Of Business GainLossOnSaleOfBusiness	147284000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Gain Loss On Sale Of Business GainLossOnSaleOfBusiness	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Gain Loss On Sale Of Business GainLossOnSaleOfBusiness	0	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Debt Securities Available For Sale Realized Gain Loss DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleRealizedGainLoss	11696000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Debt Securities Available For Sale Realized Gain Loss DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleRealizedGainLoss	15346000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Debt Securities Available For Sale Realized Gain Loss DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleRealizedGainLoss	40621000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Liabilitiesassumedbycustomersforthesaleofsystems Liabilitiesassumedbycustomersforthesaleofsystems	85490000	USD
CY2020	fslr	Liabilitiesassumedbycustomersforthesaleofsystems Liabilitiesassumedbycustomersforthesaleofsystems	136745000	USD
CY2019	fslr	Liabilitiesassumedbycustomersforthesaleofsystems Liabilitiesassumedbycustomersforthesaleofsystems	88050000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Other Operating Activities Cash Flow Statement OtherOperatingActivitiesCashFlowStatement	1962000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Receivable IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsReceivable	96951000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Receivable IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsReceivable	-345150000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Receivable IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsReceivable	73594000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Other Current Assets IncreaseDecreaseInOtherCurrentAssets	62227000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Other Current Assets IncreaseDecreaseInOtherCurrentAssets	992000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Other Current Assets IncreaseDecreaseInOtherCurrentAssets	34528000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Inventories IncreaseDecreaseInInventories	136365000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Inventories IncreaseDecreaseInInventories	145396000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Inventories IncreaseDecreaseInInventories	83528000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Increase Decrease In Project Assets And Pv Solar Power Systems IncreaseDecreaseInProjectAssetsAndPVSolarPowerSystems	-23402000	USD
CY2020	fslr	Increase Decrease In Project Assets And Pv Solar Power Systems IncreaseDecreaseInProjectAssetsAndPVSolarPowerSystems	-106867000	USD
CY2019	fslr	Increase Decrease In Project Assets And Pv Solar Power Systems IncreaseDecreaseInProjectAssetsAndPVSolarPowerSystems	20773000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Other Noncurrent Assets IncreaseDecreaseInOtherNoncurrentAssets	7715000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Other Noncurrent Assets IncreaseDecreaseInOtherNoncurrentAssets	32073000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Other Noncurrent Assets IncreaseDecreaseInOtherNoncurrentAssets	-28728000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Income Taxes Payable Net Of Income Taxes Receivable IncreaseDecreaseInIncomeTaxesPayableNetOfIncomeTaxesReceivable	-13062000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Income Taxes Payable Net Of Income Taxes Receivable IncreaseDecreaseInIncomeTaxesPayableNetOfIncomeTaxesReceivable	-177431000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Income Taxes Payable Net Of Income Taxes Receivable IncreaseDecreaseInIncomeTaxesPayableNetOfIncomeTaxesReceivable	8035000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Payable IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayable	34919000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Payable IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayable	-43285000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Payable IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayable	-336000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accrued Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedLiabilities	-89197000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accrued Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedLiabilities	-606111000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accrued Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedLiabilities	397527000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Other Increase Decreasein Accrued Solar Module Collectionand Recycling Liability OtherIncreaseDecreaseinAccruedSolarModuleCollectionandRecyclingLiability	10491000	USD
CY2020	fslr	Other Increase Decreasein Accrued Solar Module Collectionand Recycling Liability OtherIncreaseDecreaseinAccruedSolarModuleCollectionandRecyclingLiability	-9181000	USD
CY2019	fslr	Other Increase Decreasein Accrued Solar Module Collectionand Recycling Liability OtherIncreaseDecreaseinAccruedSolarModuleCollectionandRecyclingLiability	3748000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities	237559000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities	37120000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities	174201000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Property Plant And Equipment PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment	540291000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Property Plant And Equipment PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment	416635000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Property Plant And Equipment PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment	668717000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Available For Sale Securities Debt PaymentsToAcquireAvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebt	2147136000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Available For Sale Securities Debt PaymentsToAcquireAvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebt	901924000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Available For Sale Securities Debt PaymentsToAcquireAvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebt	1177336000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Proceeds From Maturities Prepayments And Calls Of Available For Sale Securities ProceedsFromMaturitiesPrepaymentsAndCallsOfAvailableForSaleSecurities	2294595000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Proceeds From Maturities Prepayments And Calls Of Available For Sale Securities ProceedsFromMaturitiesPrepaymentsAndCallsOfAvailableForSaleSecurities	1192832000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Proceeds From Maturities Prepayments And Calls Of Available For Sale Securities ProceedsFromMaturitiesPrepaymentsAndCallsOfAvailableForSaleSecurities	1486631000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Proceeds From Divestiture Of Businesses ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinesses	300499000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Proceeds From Divestiture Of Businesses ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinesses	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Proceeds From Divestiture Of Businesses ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinesses	0	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Payments For Proceeds From Other Investing Activities PaymentsForProceedsFromOtherInvestingActivities	6707000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Payments For Proceeds From Other Investing Activities PaymentsForProceedsFromOtherInvestingActivities	5500000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Payments For Proceeds From Other Investing Activities PaymentsForProceedsFromOtherInvestingActivities	2876000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Investing Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities	-99040000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Investing Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities	-131227000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Investing Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities	-362298000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Repayments Of Long Term Debt RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt	72676000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Repayments Of Long Term Debt RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt	225344000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Repayments Of Long Term Debt RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt	30099000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Proceeds From Issuance Of Long Term Debt ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt	129215000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Proceeds From Issuance Of Long Term Debt ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt	156679000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Proceeds From Issuance Of Long Term Debt ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt	120132000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Payments Related To Tax Withholding For Share Based Compensation PaymentsRelatedToTaxWithholdingForShareBasedCompensation	15989000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Payments Related To Tax Withholding For Share Based Compensation PaymentsRelatedToTaxWithholdingForShareBasedCompensation	13118000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Payments Related To Tax Withholding For Share Based Compensation PaymentsRelatedToTaxWithholdingForShareBasedCompensation	16089000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Proceeds From Payments For Other Financing Activities ProceedsFromPaymentsForOtherFinancingActivities	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Proceeds From Payments For Other Financing Activities ProceedsFromPaymentsForOtherFinancingActivities	-804000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Proceeds From Payments For Other Financing Activities ProceedsFromPaymentsForOtherFinancingActivities	999000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Financing Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities	40550000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Financing Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities	-82587000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Financing Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities	74943000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Effect Of Exchange Rate On Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents EffectOfExchangeRateOnCashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	3174000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Effect Of Exchange Rate On Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents EffectOfExchangeRateOnCashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	3778000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Effect Of Exchange Rate On Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents EffectOfExchangeRateOnCashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	-2959000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents Period Increase Decrease Including Exchange Rate Effect CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecreaseIncludingExchangeRateEffect	182243000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents Period Increase Decrease Including Exchange Rate Effect CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecreaseIncludingExchangeRateEffect	-172916000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents Period Increase Decrease Including Exchange Rate Effect CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecreaseIncludingExchangeRateEffect	-116113000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	1273594000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	1446510000	USD
CY2018Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	1562623000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	1455837000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	1273594000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	1446510000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Capital Expenditures Incurred But Not Yet Paid CapitalExpendituresIncurredButNotYetPaid	61598000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Capital Expenditures Incurred But Not Yet Paid CapitalExpendituresIncurredButNotYetPaid	110576000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Capital Expenditures Incurred But Not Yet Paid CapitalExpendituresIncurredButNotYetPaid	76148000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Comparability Of Prior Year Financial Data ComparabilityOfPriorYearFinancialData	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Basis of Presentation. </span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">These consolidated financial statements include the accounts of First Solar, Inc. and its subsidiaries and are prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We eliminated all intercompany transactions and balances during consolidation. Certain prior year balances were reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.</span>
CY2021	us-gaap	Use Of Estimates UseOfEstimates	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Use of Estimates.</span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%"> The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates, including those related to accrued solar module collection and recycling liabilities, product warranties, accounting for income taxes, and long-lived asset impairments. Despite our intention to establish accurate estimates and reasonable assumptions, actual results could differ materially from such estimates and assumptions.</span>
CY2021	fslr	Pv Solar Power Systems Current Useful Life PVSolarPowerSystemsCurrentUsefulLife	P25Y
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Inventory Current DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationInventoryCurrent	243000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Cash And Cash Equivalents DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationCashAndCashEquivalents	2037000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Accounts Notes And Loans Receivable Net DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationAccountsNotesAndLoansReceivableNet	16612000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Accounts Receivable Unbilled Net DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationAccountsReceivableUnbilledNet	3687000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Prepaid And Other Assets Current DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationPrepaidAndOtherAssetsCurrent	47991000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Property Plant And Equipment DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationPropertyPlantAndEquipment	5792000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Pv Solar Power Systems Net DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationPVSolarPowerSystemsNet	10997000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Project Assets DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationProjectAssets	65660000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Other Noncurrent Assets DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationOtherNoncurrentAssets	2666000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Assets Of Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Current AssetsOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationCurrent	155685000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Accounts Payable Current DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationAccountsPayableCurrent	2991000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Accrued Liabilities Current DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationAccruedLiabilitiesCurrent	5593000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Deferred Revenue Current DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationDeferredRevenueCurrent	2730000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Other Current Liabilities DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationOtherCurrentLiabilities	1904000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Other Noncurrent Liabilities DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationOtherNoncurrentLiabilities	12403000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Liabilities Of Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Current LiabilitiesOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationCurrent	25621000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Goodwill Goodwill	14462000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Goodwill Period Increase Decrease GoodwillPeriodIncreaseDecrease	0	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Goodwill Goodwill	14462000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Goodwill Goodwill	14462000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Goodwill Period Increase Decrease GoodwillPeriodIncreaseDecrease	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Goodwill Goodwill	14462000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Gross FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross	114930000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Accumulated Amortization FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization	69421000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Intangible Assets Net Excluding Goodwill IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill	45509000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Gross FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross	114623000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Accumulated Amortization FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization	58485000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Intangible Assets Net Excluding Goodwill IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill	56138000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Amortization Of Intangible Assets AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets	10900000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Amortization Of Intangible Assets AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets	10800000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Amortization Of Intangible Assets AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets	10200000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense Next Twelve Months FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseNextTwelveMonths	10941000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense Year Two FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearTwo	10657000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense Year Three FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearThree	10527000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense Year Four FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearFour	4056000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense Year Five FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearFive	2673000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense After Year Five FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseAfterYearFive	6655000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Net FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet	45509000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	1450654000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	1227002000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Debt Securities Current AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent	375389000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Debt Securities Current AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent	520066000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Investments And Cash InvestmentsAndCash	1826043000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Investments And Cash InvestmentsAndCash	1747068000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	1450654000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	1227002000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Restricted Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	1532000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Restricted Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	1745000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Restricted Cash And Cash Equivalents Noncurrent RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsNoncurrent	3651000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Restricted Cash And Cash Equivalents Noncurrent RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsNoncurrent	44847000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	1455837000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	1273594000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Proceeds From Sale Of Available For Sale Securities Debt ProceedsFromSaleOfAvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebt	5500000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Proceeds From Sale Of Available For Sale Securities Debt ProceedsFromSaleOfAvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebt	188100000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Debt Securities Available For Sale Realized Gain DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleRealizedGain	100000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Debt Securities Available For Sale Realized Gain DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleRealizedGain	200000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Proceeds From Sale Of Available For Sale Securities Debt ProceedsFromSaleOfAvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebt	52000000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Debt Securities Available For Sale Realized Gain DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleRealizedGain	0	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Debt Securities Amortized Cost Basis AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAmortizedCostBasis	375797000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Debt Securities Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain Before Tax AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedGainBeforeTax	91000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Debt Securities Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss Before Tax AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedLossBeforeTax	402000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Debt Securities Available For Sale Allowance For Credit Loss DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAllowanceForCreditLoss	97000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Debt Securities Current AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent	375389000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Debt Securities Amortized Cost Basis AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAmortizedCostBasis	519844000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Debt Securities Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain Before Tax AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedGainBeforeTax	389000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Debt Securities Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss Before Tax AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedLossBeforeTax	46000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Debt Securities Available For Sale Allowance For Credit Loss DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAllowanceForCreditLoss	121000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Debt Securities Current AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent	520066000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Debt Securities Available For Sale Allowance For Credit Loss DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAllowanceForCreditLoss	121000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Debt Securities Available For Sale Allowance For Credit Loss DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAllowanceForCreditLoss	0	USD
CY2021Q1	fslr	Debt Securities Available For Sale Allowance For Credit Loss Cumulative Effect Adjustment For The Adoption Of Asu201613 DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAllowanceForCreditLossCumulativeEffectAdjustmentForTheAdoptionOfASU201613	0	USD
CY2020Q1	fslr	Debt Securities Available For Sale Allowance For Credit Loss Cumulative Effect Adjustment For The Adoption Of Asu201613 DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAllowanceForCreditLossCumulativeEffectAdjustmentForTheAdoptionOfASU201613	207000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Debt Securities Available For Sale Allowance For Credit Loss Period Increase Decrease DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAllowanceForCreditLossPeriodIncreaseDecrease	423000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Debt Securities Available For Sale Allowance For Credit Loss Period Increase Decrease DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAllowanceForCreditLossPeriodIncreaseDecrease	326000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Debt Securities Available For Sale Allowance For Credit Loss Securities Sold DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAllowanceForCreditLossSecuritiesSold	-447000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Debt Securities Available For Sale Allowance For Credit Loss Securities Sold DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAllowanceForCreditLossSecuritiesSold	-412000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Debt Securities Available For Sale Allowance For Credit Loss DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAllowanceForCreditLoss	97000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Debt Securities Available For Sale Allowance For Credit Loss DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAllowanceForCreditLoss	121000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Debt Maturities Within One Year Amortized Cost AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesWithinOneYearAmortizedCost	362761000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Debt Securities Availableforsale Maturities Rolling Year One Through Two DebtSecuritiesAvailableforsaleMaturitiesRollingYearOneThroughTwo	3014000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Debt Securities Availableforsale Maturities Rolling Year Two Through Three DebtSecuritiesAvailableforsaleMaturitiesRollingYearTwoThroughThree	0	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Debt Securities Available For Sale Maturities Rolling Year Three Through Four DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleMaturitiesRollingYearThreeThroughFour	0	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Debt Securities Available For Sale Maturities Rolling Year Four Through Five DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleMaturitiesRollingYearFourThroughFive	4729000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Debt Securities Available For Sale Maturities Rolling Year More Than Five DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleMaturitiesRollingYearMoreThanFive	4885000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Debt Securities Current AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent	375389000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Product Minimum Service Life ProductMinimumServiceLife	P25Y
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Accounts Receivable Gross Current AccountsReceivableGrossCurrent	430100000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Accounts Receivable Gross Current AccountsReceivableGrossCurrent	269095000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Allowance For Doubtful Accounts Receivable Current AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableCurrent	664000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Allowance For Doubtful Accounts Receivable Current AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableCurrent	3009000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Accounts Receivable Net Current AccountsReceivableNetCurrent	429436000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Accounts Receivable Net Current AccountsReceivableNetCurrent	266086000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled Before Allowance For Credit Losses AccountsReceivableUnbilledBeforeAllowanceForCreditLosses	25336000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled Before Allowance For Credit Losses AccountsReceivableUnbilledBeforeAllowanceForCreditLosses	26673000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled Allowance For Credit Loss AccountsReceivableUnbilledAllowanceForCreditLoss	63000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled Allowance For Credit Loss AccountsReceivableUnbilledAllowanceForCreditLoss	303000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled After Allowance For Credit Loss AccountsReceivableUnbilledAfterAllowanceForCreditLoss	25273000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled After Allowance For Credit Loss AccountsReceivableUnbilledAfterAllowanceForCreditLoss	26370000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Allowance For Doubtful Accounts Receivable Current AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableCurrent	3009000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Allowance For Doubtful Accounts Receivable Current AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableCurrent	1386000	USD
CY2021Q1	fslr	Accounts Receivable Allowance For Credit Loss Cumulative Effect Adjustment For Adoption Of Asu201613 AccountsReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossCumulativeEffectAdjustmentForAdoptionOfASU201613	0	USD
CY2020Q1	fslr	Accounts Receivable Allowance For Credit Loss Cumulative Effect Adjustment For Adoption Of Asu201613 AccountsReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossCumulativeEffectAdjustmentForAdoptionOfASU201613	171000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Allowance For Doubtful Accounts Receivable Period Increase Decrease AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivablePeriodIncreaseDecrease	-2224000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Allowance For Doubtful Accounts Receivable Period Increase Decrease AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivablePeriodIncreaseDecrease	2030000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Allowance For Doubtful Accounts Receivable Write Offs AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableWriteOffs	121000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Allowance For Doubtful Accounts Receivable Write Offs AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableWriteOffs	578000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Allowance For Doubtful Accounts Receivable Current AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableCurrent	664000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Allowance For Doubtful Accounts Receivable Current AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableCurrent	3009000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled Allowance For Credit Loss AccountsReceivableUnbilledAllowanceForCreditLoss	303000	USD
CY2019Q4	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled Allowance For Credit Loss AccountsReceivableUnbilledAllowanceForCreditLoss	0	USD
CY2021Q1	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled Allowance For Credit Loss Cumulative Effect Adjustment For Adoption Of Asu201613 AccountsReceivableUnbilledAllowanceForCreditLossCumulativeEffectAdjustmentForAdoptionOfASU201613	0	USD
CY2020Q1	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled Allowance For Credit Loss Cumulative Effect Adjustment For Adoption Of Asu201613 AccountsReceivableUnbilledAllowanceForCreditLossCumulativeEffectAdjustmentForAdoptionOfASU201613	459000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled Allowance For Credit Loss Period Increase Decrease AccountsReceivableUnbilledAllowanceForCreditLossPeriodIncreaseDecrease	-240000	USD
CY2020	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled Allowance For Credit Loss Period Increase Decrease AccountsReceivableUnbilledAllowanceForCreditLossPeriodIncreaseDecrease	19000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled Allowance For Credit Loss Writeoff AccountsReceivableUnbilledAllowanceForCreditLossWriteoff	0	USD
CY2020	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled Allowance For Credit Loss Writeoff AccountsReceivableUnbilledAllowanceForCreditLossWriteoff	175000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled Allowance For Credit Loss AccountsReceivableUnbilledAllowanceForCreditLoss	63000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled Allowance For Credit Loss AccountsReceivableUnbilledAllowanceForCreditLoss	303000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Inventory Raw Materials Net Of Reserves InventoryRawMaterialsNetOfReserves	404727000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Inventory Raw Materials Net Of Reserves InventoryRawMaterialsNetOfReserves	292334000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Inventory Work In Process Net Of Reserves InventoryWorkInProcessNetOfReserves	65573000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Inventory Work In Process Net Of Reserves InventoryWorkInProcessNetOfReserves	64709000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Inventory Net InventoryNet	666299000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Inventory Net InventoryNet	567587000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Inventory Noncurrent InventoryNoncurrent	237512000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Inventory Finished Goods Net Of Reserves InventoryFinishedGoodsNetOfReserves	433511000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Inventory Finished Goods Net Of Reserves InventoryFinishedGoodsNetOfReserves	411773000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Inventory Current And Noncurrent Net InventoryCurrentAndNoncurrentNet	903811000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Inventory Current And Noncurrent Net InventoryCurrentAndNoncurrentNet	768816000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Inventory Noncurrent InventoryNoncurrent	201229000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Spare Maintenance Materials And Parts SpareMaintenanceMaterialsAndParts	112070000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Spare Maintenance Materials And Parts SpareMaintenanceMaterialsAndParts	98855000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Prepaid Taxes PrepaidTaxes	41379000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Prepaid Taxes PrepaidTaxes	71051000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Operating Supplies OperatingSupplies	41034000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Operating Supplies OperatingSupplies	35679000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Prepaid Expense Current PrepaidExpenseCurrent	28232000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Prepaid Expense Current PrepaidExpenseCurrent	26000000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Derivative Assets Current DerivativeAssetsCurrent	5816000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Derivative Assets Current DerivativeAssetsCurrent	3315000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Restricted Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	1532000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Restricted Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	1745000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Other Assets Miscellaneous Current OtherAssetsMiscellaneousCurrent	14129000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Other Assets Miscellaneous Current OtherAssetsMiscellaneousCurrent	15094000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Other Assets Current OtherAssetsCurrent	244192000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Other Assets Current OtherAssetsCurrent	251739000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Property Plant And Equipment Gross PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross	3881111000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Property Plant And Equipment Gross PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross	3497406000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Accumulated Depreciation Depletion And Amortization Property Plant And Equipment AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment	1231524000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Accumulated Depreciation Depletion And Amortization Property Plant And Equipment AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment	1095121000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Property Plant And Equipment Net PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	2649587000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Property Plant And Equipment Net PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	2402285000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Pv Solar Power Systems Gross PVSolarPowerSystemsGross	281660000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Pv Solar Power Systems Gross PVSolarPowerSystemsGross	298067000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Accumulated Depreciation Pv Solar Power Systems AccumulatedDepreciationPVSolarPowerSystems	64367000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Accumulated Depreciation Pv Solar Power Systems AccumulatedDepreciationPVSolarPowerSystems	54671000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Pv Solar Power Systems Net PVSolarPowerSystemsNet	217293000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Pv Solar Power Systems Net PVSolarPowerSystemsNet	243396000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Project Assets Developmentand Land Costs ProjectAssetsDevelopmentandLandCosts	117407000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Project Assets Developmentand Land Costs ProjectAssetsDevelopmentandLandCosts	176346000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Project Assets Construction Costs ProjectAssetsConstructionCosts	198081000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Project Assets Construction Costs ProjectAssetsConstructionCosts	197031000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Project Assets Noncurrent ProjectAssetsNoncurrent	315488000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Project Assets Noncurrent ProjectAssetsNoncurrent	373377000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Right Of Use Asset OperatingLeaseRightOfUseAsset	207544000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Right Of Use Asset OperatingLeaseRightOfUseAsset	226664000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Advanced Payments For Raw Materials Noncurrent AdvancedPaymentsForRawMaterialsNoncurrent	86962000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Advanced Payments For Raw Materials Noncurrent AdvancedPaymentsForRawMaterialsNoncurrent	97883000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Income Taxes Receivable Noncurrent IncomeTaxesReceivableNoncurrent	39862000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Income Taxes Receivable Noncurrent IncomeTaxesReceivableNoncurrent	36000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Indirect Tax Receivables Noncurrent IndirectTaxReceivablesNoncurrent	21873000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Indirect Tax Receivables Noncurrent IndirectTaxReceivablesNoncurrent	14849000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Accounts Receivable Net Noncurrent AccountsReceivableNetNoncurrent	21293000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Accounts Receivable Net Noncurrent AccountsReceivableNetNoncurrent	0	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled Noncurrent After Allowance For Credit Loss AccountsReceivableUnbilledNoncurrentAfterAllowanceForCreditLoss	20840000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled Noncurrent After Allowance For Credit Loss AccountsReceivableUnbilledNoncurrentAfterAllowanceForCreditLoss	22722000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Restricted Cash And Cash Equivalents Noncurrent RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsNoncurrent	3651000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Restricted Cash And Cash Equivalents Noncurrent RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsNoncurrent	44847000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Other Assets Miscellaneous Noncurrent OtherAssetsMiscellaneousNoncurrent	36739000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Other Assets Miscellaneous Noncurrent OtherAssetsMiscellaneousNoncurrent	27129000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Other Assets Noncurrent OtherAssetsNoncurrent	438764000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Other Assets Noncurrent OtherAssetsNoncurrent	434130000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Accrued Freight AccruedFreight	61429000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Accrued Freight AccruedFreight	26580000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Accrued Project Costs AccruedProjectCosts	48836000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Accrued Project Costs AccruedProjectCosts	81380000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Accrued Inventory AccruedInventory	42170000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Accrued Inventory AccruedInventory	25704000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Accrued Property Plant And Equipment AccruedPropertyPlantAndEquipment	42031000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Accrued Property Plant And Equipment AccruedPropertyPlantAndEquipment	66543000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Employee Related Liabilities Current EmployeeRelatedLiabilitiesCurrent	34606000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Employee Related Liabilities Current EmployeeRelatedLiabilitiesCurrent	51685000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Accrued Other Taxes AccruedOtherTaxes	23103000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Accrued Other Taxes AccruedOtherTaxes	11648000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Product Warranty Accrual Classified Current ProductWarrantyAccrualClassifiedCurrent	13598000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Product Warranty Accrual Classified Current ProductWarrantyAccrualClassifiedCurrent	22278000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Other Accrued Liabilities Current OtherAccruedLiabilitiesCurrent	22677000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Other Accrued Liabilities Current OtherAccruedLiabilitiesCurrent	24649000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Accrued Liabilities Current AccruedLiabilitiesCurrent	288450000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Accrued Liabilities Current AccruedLiabilitiesCurrent	310467000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Liability Current OperatingLeaseLiabilityCurrent	12781000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Liability Current OperatingLeaseLiabilityCurrent	14006000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Sales And Excise Tax Payable Current SalesAndExciseTaxPayableCurrent	8123000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Sales And Excise Tax Payable Current SalesAndExciseTaxPayableCurrent	30041000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Derivative Liabilities Current DerivativeLiabilitiesCurrent	3550000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Derivative Liabilities Current DerivativeLiabilitiesCurrent	5280000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Other Sundry Liabilities Current OtherSundryLiabilitiesCurrent	10293000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Other Sundry Liabilities Current OtherSundryLiabilitiesCurrent	33710000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Other Liabilities Current OtherLiabilitiesCurrent	34747000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Other Liabilities Current OtherLiabilitiesCurrent	83037000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Liability Noncurrent OperatingLeaseLiabilityNoncurrent	145912000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Liability Noncurrent OperatingLeaseLiabilityNoncurrent	189034000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Revenue Noncurrent DeferredRevenueNoncurrent	95943000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Revenue Noncurrent DeferredRevenueNoncurrent	44919000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Product Warranty Accrual Noncurrent ProductWarrantyAccrualNoncurrent	38955000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Product Warranty Accrual Noncurrent ProductWarrantyAccrualNoncurrent	72818000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Liabilities Net DeferredIncomeTaxLiabilitiesNet	27699000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Liabilities Net DeferredIncomeTaxLiabilitiesNet	23671000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Other Sundry Liabilities Noncurrent OtherSundryLiabilitiesNoncurrent	43658000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Other Sundry Liabilities Noncurrent OtherSundryLiabilitiesNoncurrent	41784000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Other Liabilities Noncurrent OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent	352167000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Other Liabilities Noncurrent OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent	372226000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Variable Lease Cost VariableLeaseCost	2616000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Operating Lease Cost OperatingLeaseCost	17681000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Operating Lease Cost OperatingLeaseCost	18739000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Variable Lease Cost VariableLeaseCost	2041000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Short Term Lease Cost ShortTermLeaseCost	817000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Short Term Lease Cost ShortTermLeaseCost	2628000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Lease Cost LeaseCost	20539000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Lease Cost LeaseCost	23983000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Operating Lease Payments OperatingLeasePayments	19405000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Operating Lease Payments OperatingLeasePayments	19192000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Right Of Use Asset Obtained In Exchange For Operating Lease Liability RightOfUseAssetObtainedInExchangeForOperatingLeaseLiability	21187000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Right Of Use Asset Obtained In Exchange For Operating Lease Liability RightOfUseAssetObtainedInExchangeForOperatingLeaseLiability	98822000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Right Of Use Asset OperatingLeaseRightOfUseAsset	207544000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Right Of Use Asset OperatingLeaseRightOfUseAsset	226664000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Liability Current OperatingLeaseLiabilityCurrent	12781000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Liability Current OperatingLeaseLiabilityCurrent	14006000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Liability Noncurrent OperatingLeaseLiabilityNoncurrent	145912000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Liability Noncurrent OperatingLeaseLiabilityNoncurrent	189034000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Weighted Average Remaining Lease Term1 OperatingLeaseWeightedAverageRemainingLeaseTerm1	P19Y
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Weighted Average Remaining Lease Term1 OperatingLeaseWeightedAverageRemainingLeaseTerm1	P20Y
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Weighted Average Discount Rate Percent OperatingLeaseWeightedAverageDiscountRatePercent	0.028
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Weighted Average Discount Rate Percent OperatingLeaseWeightedAverageDiscountRatePercent	0.029
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessee Operating Lease Liability Payments Due Next Twelve Months LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueNextTwelveMonths	15861000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessee Operating Lease Liability Payments Due Year Two LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearTwo	15902000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessee Operating Lease Liability Payments Due Year Three LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearThree	15426000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessee Operating Lease Liability Payments Due Year Four LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearFour	14608000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessee Operating Lease Liability Payments Due Year Five LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearFive	13116000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessee Operating Lease Liability Payments Due After Year Five LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueAfterYearFive	114642000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessee Operating Lease Liability Payments Due LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDue	189555000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessee Operating Lease Liability Undiscounted Excess Amount LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityUndiscountedExcessAmount	30862000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Liability OperatingLeaseLiability	158693000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Changein Estimateof Module Collectionand Recycling Liability ChangeinEstimateofModuleCollectionandRecyclingLiability	10800000	USD
CY2020	fslr	Changein Estimateof Module Collectionand Recycling Liability ChangeinEstimateofModuleCollectionandRecyclingLiability	-18900000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Solar Module Collection And Recycling Liability SolarModuleCollectionAndRecyclingLiability	139100000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Solar Module Collection And Recycling Liability SolarModuleCollectionAndRecyclingLiability	130700000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Solarmodulecollection Andrecyclingexpensecostofsales SolarmodulecollectionAndrecyclingexpensecostofsales	10800000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Solarmodulecollectionandrecyclingexpenseaccretionexpense Solarmodulecollectionandrecyclingexpenseaccretionexpense	5400000	USD
CY2020	fslr	Solarmodulecollection Andrecyclingexpensecostofsales SolarmodulecollectionAndrecyclingexpensecostofsales	-18900000	USD
CY2020	fslr	Solarmodulecollectionandrecyclingexpenseaccretionexpense Solarmodulecollectionandrecyclingexpenseaccretionexpense	5200000	USD
CY2019	fslr	Solarmodulecollectionandrecyclingexpenseaccretionexpense Solarmodulecollectionandrecyclingexpenseaccretionexpense	4900000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Debt Instrument Carrying Amount DebtInstrumentCarryingAmount	246737000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Debt Instrument Carrying Amount DebtInstrumentCarryingAmount	287149000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Debt Instrument Unamortized Discount Premium And Debt Issuance Costs Net DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscountPremiumAndDebtIssuanceCostsNet	6836000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Debt Instrument Unamortized Discount Premium And Debt Issuance Costs Net DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscountPremiumAndDebtIssuanceCostsNet	7918000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Debt Longterm And Shortterm Combined Amount DebtLongtermAndShorttermCombinedAmount	239901000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Debt Longterm And Shortterm Combined Amount DebtLongtermAndShorttermCombinedAmount	279231000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Current LongTermDebtCurrent	3896000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Current LongTermDebtCurrent	41540000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Noncurrent LongTermDebtNoncurrent	236005000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Noncurrent LongTermDebtNoncurrent	237691000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Interest Paid InterestPaid	12700000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Interest Paid InterestPaid	14900000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Interest Paid InterestPaid	18800000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Maturities Repayments Of Principal In Next Twelve Months LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInNextTwelveMonths	4035000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Maturities Repayments Of Principal In Year Two LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInYearTwo	6085000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Maturities Repayments Of Principal In Year Three LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInYearThree	69928000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Maturities Repayments Of Principal In Year Four LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInYearFour	7560000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Maturities Repayments Of Principal In Year Five LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInYearFive	7965000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Maturities Repayments Of Principal After Year Five LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalAfterYearFive	151164000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt LongTermDebt	246737000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Accrual Payments StandardProductWarrantyAccrualPayments	22464000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Accrual Payments StandardProductWarrantyAccrualPayments	22540000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Accrual Preexisting Increase Decrease StandardProductWarrantyAccrualPreexistingIncreaseDecrease	-39472000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Accrual Preexisting Increase Decrease StandardProductWarrantyAccrualPreexistingIncreaseDecrease	-21661000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Accrual Preexisting Increase Decrease StandardProductWarrantyAccrualPreexistingIncreaseDecrease	-85682000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Accrual StandardProductWarrantyAccrual	52553000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Accrual StandardProductWarrantyAccrual	95096000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Accrual StandardProductWarrantyAccrual	129797000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Accrual Current StandardProductWarrantyAccrualCurrent	13598000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Accrual Current StandardProductWarrantyAccrualCurrent	22278000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Surety Bonds SuretyBonds	12600000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Surety Bond Capacity SuretyBondCapacity	229900000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Accrual StandardProductWarrantyAccrual	95096000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Accrual StandardProductWarrantyAccrual	129797000	USD
CY2018Q4	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Accrual StandardProductWarrantyAccrual	220692000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Product Warranty Accrual Warranties Issued ProductWarrantyAccrualWarrantiesIssued	9266000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Product Warranty Accrual Warranties Issued ProductWarrantyAccrualWarrantiesIssued	9424000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Product Warranty Accrual Warranties Issued ProductWarrantyAccrualWarrantiesIssued	17327000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Accrual Payments StandardProductWarrantyAccrualPayments	12337000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Accrual Current StandardProductWarrantyAccrualCurrent	20291000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Accrual Noncurrent StandardProductWarrantyAccrualNoncurrent	38955000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Accrual Period Increase Decrease StandardProductWarrantyAccrualPeriodIncreaseDecrease	-33100000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Accrual Period Increase Decrease StandardProductWarrantyAccrualPeriodIncreaseDecrease	-19700000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Accrual Noncurrent StandardProductWarrantyAccrualNoncurrent	72818000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Accrual Noncurrent StandardProductWarrantyAccrualNoncurrent	109506000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Accrual Period Increase Decrease StandardProductWarrantyAccrualPeriodIncreaseDecrease	-80000000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Energy Performance Testing Liability EnergyPerformanceTestingLiability	1600000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Energy Performance Testing Liability EnergyPerformanceTestingLiability	10200000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Guarantee Obligations Current Carrying Value GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue	3800000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Guarantee Obligations Current Carrying Value GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue	3200000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Guarantee Obligations Maximum Exposure GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure	98800000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Guarantor Obligations Potential Recoveries GuarantorObligationsPotentialRecoveries	28200000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Guarantor Obligations Adjustment To Revenue GuarantorObligationsAdjustmentToRevenue	65100000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Revenues Revenues	2923377000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Revenues Revenues	2711332000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Revenues Revenues	3063117000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled Total Current And Noncurrent After Allowance For Credit Losses AccountsReceivableUnbilledTotalCurrentAndNoncurrentAfterAllowanceForCreditLosses	46113000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled Total Current And Noncurrent After Allowance For Credit Losses AccountsReceivableUnbilledTotalCurrentAndNoncurrentAfterAllowanceForCreditLosses	49092000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Guarantor Obligations Adjustment To Revenue GuarantorObligationsAdjustmentToRevenue	65100000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Project Changein Estimate Disclosure Threshold ProjectChangeinEstimateDisclosureThreshold	1000000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Numberof Projectswith Changesin Estimates NumberofProjectswithChangesinEstimates	10	Projects
CY2020	fslr	Numberof Projectswith Changesin Estimates NumberofProjectswithChangesinEstimates	9	Projects
CY2019	fslr	Numberof Projectswith Changesin Estimates NumberofProjectswithChangesinEstimates	3	Projects
CY2021	fslr	Increase Decreasein Revenuefrom Net Changesin Transaction Price IncreaseDecreaseinRevenuefromNetChangesinTransactionPrice	71310000	USD
CY2020	fslr	Increase Decreasein Revenuefrom Net Changesin Transaction Price IncreaseDecreaseinRevenuefromNetChangesinTransactionPrice	-16954000	USD
CY2019	fslr	Increase Decreasein Revenuefrom Net Changesin Transaction Price IncreaseDecreaseinRevenuefromNetChangesinTransactionPrice	-3642000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Increase Decreasein Revenuefrom Net Changesin Input Cost Estimates IncreaseDecreaseinRevenuefromNetChangesinInputCostEstimates	0	USD
CY2020	fslr	Increase Decreasein Revenuefrom Net Changesin Input Cost Estimates IncreaseDecreaseinRevenuefromNetChangesinInputCostEstimates	7487000	USD
CY2019	fslr	Increase Decreasein Revenuefrom Net Changesin Input Cost Estimates IncreaseDecreaseinRevenuefromNetChangesinInputCostEstimates	-23103000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Increase Decreasein Revenuefrom Net Changesin Estimates IncreaseDecreaseinRevenuefromNetChangesinEstimates	71310000	USD
CY2020	fslr	Increase Decreasein Revenuefrom Net Changesin Estimates IncreaseDecreaseinRevenuefromNetChangesinEstimates	-9467000	USD
CY2019	fslr	Increase Decreasein Revenuefrom Net Changesin Estimates IncreaseDecreaseinRevenuefromNetChangesinEstimates	-26745000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Net Changein Estimateasa Percentageof Aggregate Revenuefor Associated Projects NetChangeinEstimateasaPercentageofAggregateRevenueforAssociatedProjects	0.021
CY2020	fslr	Net Changein Estimateasa Percentageof Aggregate Revenuefor Associated Projects NetChangeinEstimateasaPercentageofAggregateRevenueforAssociatedProjects	-0.005
CY2019	fslr	Net Changein Estimateasa Percentageof Aggregate Revenuefor Associated Projects NetChangeinEstimateasaPercentageofAggregateRevenueforAssociatedProjects	-0.046
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Revenue DeferredRevenue	297811000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Contract Asset Net Change ContractAssetNetChange	-2979000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Contract Asset Percent Change ContractAssetPercentChange	-0.06
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Revenue DeferredRevenue	233732000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Contract Liability Net Change ContractLiabilityNetChange	64079000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Contract Liability Percent Change ContractLiabilityPercentChange	0.27
CY2021Q4	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled Noncurrent After Allowance For Credit Loss AccountsReceivableUnbilledNoncurrentAfterAllowanceForCreditLoss	20800000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Accounts Receivable Unbilled Noncurrent After Allowance For Credit Loss AccountsReceivableUnbilledNoncurrentAfterAllowanceForCreditLoss	22700000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Revenue Noncurrent DeferredRevenueNoncurrent	95900000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Revenue Noncurrent DeferredRevenueNoncurrent	44900000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Contract Asset Net Change ContractAssetNetChange	-3000000	USD
CY2021	fslr	Contract Liability Net Change ContractLiabilityNetChange	64100000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Contract With Customer Liability Revenue Recognized ContractWithCustomerLiabilityRevenueRecognized	182000000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Contract With Customer Liability Revenue Recognized ContractWithCustomerLiabilityRevenueRecognized	316100000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Shares Authorized PreferredStockSharesAuthorized	30000000	shares
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Shares Authorized PreferredStockSharesAuthorized	30000000	shares
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Par Or Stated Value Per Share PreferredStockParOrStatedValuePerShare	0.001
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Par Or Stated Value Per Share PreferredStockParOrStatedValuePerShare	0.001
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Shares Issued PreferredStockSharesIssued	0	shares
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Shares Outstanding PreferredStockSharesOutstanding	0	shares
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Shares Issued PreferredStockSharesIssued	0	shares
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Shares Outstanding PreferredStockSharesOutstanding	0	shares
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Authorized CommonStockSharesAuthorized	500000000	shares
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Par Or Stated Value Per Share CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare	0.001
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Issued CommonStockSharesIssued	106332315	shares
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Outstanding CommonStockSharesOutstanding	106332315	shares
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Outstanding CommonStockSharesOutstanding	105980466	shares
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Issued CommonStockSharesIssued	105980466	shares
CY2021	us-gaap	Allocated Share Based Compensation Expense AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense	20902000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Allocated Share Based Compensation Expense AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense	29267000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Allocated Share Based Compensation Expense AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense	37429000	USD
CY2021Q4	fslr	Employee Service Share Based Compensation Capitalized In Inventory EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationCapitalizedInInventory	700000	USD
CY2020Q4	fslr	Employee Service Share Based Compensation Capitalized In Inventory EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationCapitalizedInInventory	1100000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Employee Service Share Based Compensation Tax Benefit From Compensation Expense EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense	7500000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Employee Service Share Based Compensation Tax Benefit From Compensation Expense EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense	7300000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Employee Service Share Based Compensation Tax Benefit From Compensation Expense EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense	9600000	USD
CY2020	fslr	Income Tax Benefit Net Operating Losses Under35 Rate Carryback Cares Act IncomeTaxBenefitNetOperatingLossesUnder35RateCarrybackCARESAct	-89700000	USD
CY2016	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation At Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate	0.35
CY2021	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation At Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate	0.21
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Domestic IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesDomestic	315297000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Domestic IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesDomestic	22475000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Domestic IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesDomestic	-239547000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Foreign IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign	256865000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Foreign IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign	270715000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Foreign IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign	119418000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Minority Interest And Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	572162000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Minority Interest And Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	293190000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Minority Interest And Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	-120129000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Current Federal Tax Expense Benefit CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit	9531000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Current Federal Tax Expense Benefit CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit	-149162000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Current Federal Tax Expense Benefit CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit	9961000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Current State And Local Tax Expense Benefit CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit	3469000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Current State And Local Tax Expense Benefit CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit	4027000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Current State And Local Tax Expense Benefit CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit	3890000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Current Foreign Tax Expense Benefit CurrentForeignTaxExpenseBenefit	10109000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Current Foreign Tax Expense Benefit CurrentForeignTaxExpenseBenefit	26303000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Current Foreign Tax Expense Benefit CurrentForeignTaxExpenseBenefit	41080000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Current Income Tax Expense Benefit CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	23109000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Current Income Tax Expense Benefit CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-118832000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Current Income Tax Expense Benefit CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	54931000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Deferred Federal Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	58510000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Deferred Federal Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	12681000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Deferred Federal Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-55647000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Deferred State And Local Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredStateAndLocalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	3775000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Deferred State And Local Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredStateAndLocalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	7591000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Deferred State And Local Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredStateAndLocalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-6737000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Deferred Foreign Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredForeignIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	18075000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Deferred Foreign Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredForeignIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-8734000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Deferred Foreign Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredForeignIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	1973000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	80360000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	11538000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-60411000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	103469000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-107294000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-5480000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Income Tax Expense Benefit At Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate	120154000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation At Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate	0.210
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Income Tax Expense Benefit At Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate	61570000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation At Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate	0.210
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Income Tax Expense Benefit At Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate	-25227000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation At Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate	0.210
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation State And Local Income Taxes IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes	4757000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation State And Local Income Taxes EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes	0.008
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation State And Local Income Taxes IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes	11059000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation State And Local Income Taxes EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes	0.038
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation State And Local Income Taxes IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes	-4090000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation State And Local Income Taxes EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes	0.034
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Foreign Income Tax Rate Differential IncomeTaxReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential	4632000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Foreign Income Tax Rate Differential EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential	0.008
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Foreign Income Tax Rate Differential IncomeTaxReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential	6135000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Foreign Income Tax Rate Differential EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential	0.021
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Foreign Income Tax Rate Differential IncomeTaxReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential	17195000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Foreign Income Tax Rate Differential EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential	-0.143
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Nondeductible Expense IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpense	3955000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Nondeductible Expense EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpense	0.007
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Nondeductible Expense IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpense	3834000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Nondeductible Expense EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpense	0.013
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Nondeductible Expense IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpense	11119000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Nondeductible Expense EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpense	-0.093
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Repatriation Of Foreign Earnings IncomeTaxReconciliationRepatriationOfForeignEarnings	2611000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Repatriation Of Foreign Earnings EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationRepatriationOfForeignEarnings	0.005
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Repatriation Of Foreign Earnings IncomeTaxReconciliationRepatriationOfForeignEarnings	3004000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Repatriation Of Foreign Earnings EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationRepatriationOfForeignEarnings	0.010
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Repatriation Of Foreign Earnings IncomeTaxReconciliationRepatriationOfForeignEarnings	6718000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Repatriation Of Foreign Earnings EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationRepatriationOfForeignEarnings	-0.056
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Change In Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance	2603000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Change In Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance	0.005
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Change In Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance	-31671000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Change In Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance	-0.108
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Change In Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance	-5735000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Change In Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance	0.048
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$FSLR
First Solar Inc Stock $fslr

2021 Q4 Form 10-K Financial Statement

#000127449422000009 Filed on March 01, 2022

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Balance Sheet

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$FSLR First Solar Inc Stock $fslr

2021 Q4 Form 10-K Financial Statement

#000127449422000009 Filed on March 01, 2022

Income Statement

Balance Sheet

Cashflow Statement

Facts In Submission

Files In Submission

$FSLR
First Solar Inc Stock $fslr