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Summary of Siginificant Accounting Policies (Details)
3 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 0 Months Ended 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2014
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2015
HyPulsion
Feb. 29, 2012
HyPulsion
Mar. 31, 2015
Minimum
Mar. 31, 2015
Maximum
Apr. 19, 2013
Axane, S.A.
HyPulsion
USD ($)
Apr. 19, 2013
Axane, S.A.
HyPulsion
EUR (€)
Mar. 31, 2015
Axane, S.A.
HyPulsion
Apr. 19, 2013
Axane, S.A.
HyPulsion
Feb. 29, 2012
Axane, S.A.
HyPulsion
Basis of Presentation                      
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents $ 1,218,181us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents $ 500,000us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents                  
Minimum term of extended warranty contracts sold 5 years                    
Maximum term of extended warranty contracts sold 10 years                    
Unbilled amounts from product and service revenues 918,000plug_UnbilledProductAndServiceRevenues 616,000plug_UnbilledProductAndServiceRevenues                  
Unbilled amounts 938,000us-gaap_UnbilledReceivablesCurrent 1,047,000us-gaap_UnbilledReceivablesCurrent                  
Joint Venture                      
Ownership interest percentage     20.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= plug_HyPulsionSASMember
45.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= plug_HyPulsionSASMember
        80.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis
= plug_AxaneSAMember
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= plug_HyPulsionSASMember
  55.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis
= plug_AxaneSAMember
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= plug_HyPulsionSASMember
Additional ownership interest purchased by counterparty from the Company                   25.00%plug_EquityMethodInvestmentAdditionalOwnershipIInterestPurchasedByCounterparty
/ us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis
= plug_AxaneSAMember
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= plug_HyPulsionSASMember
 
Cash purchase price             $ 3,200,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentNetSalesProceeds
/ us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis
= plug_AxaneSAMember
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= plug_HyPulsionSASMember
€ 2,500,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentNetSalesProceeds
/ us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis
= plug_AxaneSAMember
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= plug_HyPulsionSASMember
     
Percentage of share in profits of joint venture     20.00%plug_EquityMethodInvestmentPercentageShareOfProfits
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= plug_HyPulsionSASMember
               
Additional ownership interest that can be purchased by entity from counterparty at any time between January 4, 2018 and January 29, 2018 at a formula price                 60.00%plug_EquityMethodInvestmentRightToPurchaseAdditionalOwnershipIInterestFromCounterpartyPercentage
/ us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis
= plug_AxaneSAMember
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= plug_HyPulsionSASMember
   
Remaining ownership interest to be acquired by Company upon exercise of its purchase right                 20plug_EquityMethodInvestmentRemainingOwnershipInterestPercentageToBeAcquiredByEntityUponExerciseOfPurchaseRights
/ us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis
= plug_AxaneSAMember
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= plug_HyPulsionSASMember
   
Research and Development                      
Cost Sharing Percentages of research and development contracts         30.00%plug_CostSharingPercentageesOfTotalProjectCostsOfResearchAndDevelopmentContracts
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
50.00%plug_CostSharingPercentageesOfTotalProjectCostsOfResearchAndDevelopmentContracts
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember