Name:	plug_AggregateCashReceiptIstallmentAmountForGoodsAndServices
Namespace Prefix:	plug_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Represents the installment amount of cash receipts for goods and services needed to trigger a vesting of warrants in a warrant transaction agreement.

No definition available.

Name:	plug_CashReceiptIstallmentAmountForGoodsAndServices
Namespace Prefix:	plug_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Represents the cash receipts for goods and services to be received pursuant to a warrant transaction agreement.

No definition available.

Name:	plug_CashReceiptsForGoodsAndServicesWarrantTransactionAgreement
Namespace Prefix:	plug_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Exercise price calculation per share or per unit of warrants or rights outstanding.

No definition available.

Name:	plug_ClassOfWarrantOrRightExercisePriceCalculationOfWarrantsOrRights
Namespace Prefix:	plug_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Number of securities into which the class of warrant or right may be converted that have vested.

No definition available.

Name:	plug_ClassOfWarrantOrRightNumberOfSecuritiesVestedByWarrantsOrRights
Namespace Prefix:	plug_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Number of securities into which the class of warrant or right may be converted that vest in a given installment.

No definition available.

Name:	plug_ClassOfWarrantOrRightNumberOfSecuritiesVestedPerInstallment
Namespace Prefix:	plug_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Reprsents the number of installments in an agreement.

No definition available.

Name:	plug_NumberOfInstallments
Namespace Prefix:	plug_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the provision for common stock warrants as a reduction of revenue.

No definition available.

Name:	plug_ProvisionForCommonStockWarrants
Namespace Prefix:	plug_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Exercise price per share or per unit of warrants or rights outstanding.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(i)(4))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Number of securities into which the class of warrant or right may be converted. For example, but not limited to, 500,000 warrants may be converted into 1,000,000 shares.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(i)(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightNumberOfSecuritiesCalledByWarrantsOrRights
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Amount of selling, general and administrative expense classified as other.

Name:	us-gaap_OtherSellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

The aggregate total costs related to selling a firm's product and services, as well as all other general and administrative expenses. Direct selling expenses (for example, credit, warranty, and advertising) are expenses that can be directly linked to the sale of specific products. Indirect selling expenses are expenses that cannot be directly linked to the sale of specific products, for example telephone expenses, Internet, and postal charges. General and administrative expenses include salaries of non-sales personnel, rent, utilities, communication, etc.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 330
-SubTopic 10
-Section 30
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68048583&loc=d3e3636-108311

Name:	us-gaap_SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightAxis=plug_WarrantIssuedWithAmazon.comIncTransactionAgreementInApril2017Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightAxis=plug_TrancheOneOfWarrantIssuedWithAmazon.comIncTransactionAgreementInApril2017Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightAxis=plug_TrancheTwoOfWarrantIssuedWithAmazon.comIncTransactionAgreementInApril2017Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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