Extended Maintenance Contracts (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023
Accrual for loss contracts
Beginning balance	$ 137,853	$ 81,066
Provision for loss accrual	37,997	85,375
Releases to service cost of sales	(38,823)	(29,713)
Increase to loss accrual related to customer warrants	268	971
Foreign currency translation adjustment	214	154
Ending balance	$ 137,509	$ 137,853

The amount of cash released for provision for warrants.

No definition available.

Name:	plug_LossContingencyAccrualPaymentsRelatedToProvisionForWarrants
Namespace Prefix:	plug_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of cash released to service cost of sales.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of loss contingency accrual related to foreign currency translation adjustment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of loss contingency liability.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483076/450-20-50-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/recommendedDisclosureRef
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483076/450-20-50-10

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount charged against operating income increasing loss contingency liability, after adjustments to reduce previously estimated charges.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483076/450-20-50-1

+ Details

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

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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