Residual value of finance obligation.

No definition available.

Name:	plug_FinanceObligationResidualValue
Namespace Prefix:	plug_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the amount of noncurrent portion of finance obligation in connection with the transactions involving the sale of property to another party and the lease of the property back to the seller.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	plug_FinancingTransactionFinanceObligationAmount
Namespace Prefix:	plug_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the amount of current portion of finance obligation in connection with the transactions involving the sale of property to another party and the lease of the property back to the seller.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	plug_FinancingTransactionFinanceObligationAmountCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	plug_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the amount of noncurrent portion of finance obligation in connection with the transactions involving the sale of property to another party and the lease of the property back to the seller.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	plug_FinancingTransactionFinanceObligationAmountNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	plug_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the amount of additions to finance obligation in connection with the transactions involving the sale of property to another party and the lease of the property back to the seller.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of interest expense on finance lease liability.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 53
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479589/842-20-55-53

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479041/842-20-45-4

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478964/842-20-50-4

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) on sale and leaseback transaction from transfer of asset accounted for as sale.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 53
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479589/842-20-55-53

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-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479741/842-40-50-2

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SaleAndLeasebackTransactionGainLossNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 40
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481295/840-40-50-1

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479741/842-40-50-2

+ Details

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

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SaleLeasebackTransactionDescriptionAxis=plug_FailedSaleAndLeaseBackTransactionsMember
Namespace Prefix:
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Period Type:

Finance Obligation - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2024	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2024	Sep. 30, 2023	Dec. 31, 2023
Finance Obligation
Current portion of finance obligation in sale-leaseback transaction	$ 83,305		$ 83,305		$ 84,031
Noncurrent portion of finance obligation in sale-leaseback transaction	278,250		278,250		284,363
Gain or loss on sale leaseback transactions	0
Sale of Future Revenue - Debt
Finance Obligation
Finance obligation under sale-leaseback transaction	296,000		296,000		350,800
Current portion of finance obligation in sale-leaseback transaction	77,300		77,300		74,000
Noncurrent portion of finance obligation in sale-leaseback transaction	218,700		218,700		276,800
Interest on lease liabilities, finance lease	9,000	$ 10,400	28,400	$ 29,400
Sale/Leaseback Financings
Finance Obligation
Finance obligation under sale-leaseback transaction	65,600		65,600		17,600
Current portion of finance obligation in sale-leaseback transaction	6,000		6,000		10,000
Finance obligation, residual value	33,600		33,600
Noncurrent portion of finance obligation in sale-leaseback transaction	59,600		$ 59,600		$ 7,600
failed sale/leaseback transactions
Finance Obligation
Additions finance obligations	$ 56,900