Note 17 - Business Segment Information (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment [Table Text Block]

Year Ended	Net Sales		Loss (Income) From Operations			Depreciation and Amortization		Assets
December 31, 2012
Power & Energy Group	$	1,302	$	18,756		$	995	$	66,055
All Other		245		(165	)		76		334
Consolidated Total	$	1,547	$	18,591		$	1,071	$	66,389
December 31, 2011
Power & Energy Group	$	4,503	$	21,122		$	1,248	$	63,068
All Other		723		(71	)		76		464
Consolidated Total	$	5,226	$	21,051		$	1,324	$	63,532

Schedule of Revenue by Major Customers by Reporting Segments [Table Text Block]

Customer	Sales Year Ended December 31, 2012		Accounts Receivable Balance at December 31, 2012
Power and Energy Group:
Alsher Titania LLC	$	240	$	60
Gen-X		217
Emrol		200
TSK Solar			$	686
HNEI			$	352

Customer	Sales Year Ended December 31, 2011		Accounts Receivable Balance at December 31, 2011
Power and Energy Group:
Proterra, LLC	$	2,109		-
Yintong Energy (YTE)*		1,794		-

Schedule of Revenue from External Customers Attributed to Foreign Countries by Geographic Area [Table Text Block]

Geographic information	Sales Year Ended 2012		Sales Year Ended 2011
United States	$	841	$	3,111
Belgium		200
Germany		141
Sweden		124
Switzerland		111
Other foreign countries		130		321
China				1,794
Total	$	1,547	$	5,226

Schedule of Disclosure on Geographic Areas, Long-Lived Assets in Individual Foreign Countries by Country [Table Text Block]

Long-lived assets:	2012		2011
United States	$	6,207	$	7,220
China		13,625
Total	$	19,832	$	7,220