2.4.0.81010 - Disclosure - Description of Businesstruefalsefalse1false falsefalseD2012http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001065860duration2012-01-01T00:00:002012-12-31T00:00:001true 1lime_BusinessDescriptionAndBasisOfPresentationDisclosureAbstractlime_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Description of Business2false 2us-gaap_NatureOfOperationsus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00<div style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times New Roman;"> Note 1 — Description of Business   Lime Energy Co. (the “Company”), a Delaware corporation headquartered in Huntersville, North Carolina, is a provider of energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions.  The Company’s operations are comprised of two distinct segments: the Energy Efficiency Services segment; and the Renewable Energy segment.   As of December 31, 2012, the Company was in the process of seeking a buyer for its Public Sector business that served the public, institutional and commercial and industrial markets.  This business was subsequently sold on February 28, 2013.  In addition, the Company had shut down its asset development business as of the end of 2012.  The operating results and associated assets and liabilities of these two businesses have been reported as discontinued operations in the accompanying financial statements. </div>falsefalsefalsenonnum:textBlockItemTypenaThe entire disclosure for the nature of an entity's business, the major products or services it sells or provides and its principal markets, including the locations of those markets. If the entity operates in more than one business, the disclosure also indicates the relative importance of its operations in each business and the basis for the determination (for example, assets, revenues, or earnings).Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6927468&loc=d3e6003-108592 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Statement of Position (SOP) -Number 94-6 -Paragraph 10 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. false0Description of BusinessfalseDescription of BusinessUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruefalsefalseSheethttp://www.lime-energy.com/role/DisclosureDescriptionOfBusiness12