Employee and Director Plans Plan Name [Axis] Number of Options Open Option Contracts Written Type [Axis] Weighted Average Excercise Price Unvested Employee Stock Options Number of Restricted Stock Units StatementClassOfStock [Axis] Weighted Average Valuation Price Per Unit WarrantMember Class of Warrant or Right [Axis] Warrants Weighted Average Excercise Price Preferred Stock Equity Components [Axis] Common Stock Additional Paid-In Capital Notes Receivable - CommonStock Treasury Stock Retained Earnings / Accumulated Deficit Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Noncontrolling Interest Wisconsin [Member] IncomeTaxAuthority [Axis] Australia [Member] ClassOfWarrantOrRight [Axis] Warrants Weighted Average Excercise Price Member MDB Capital Group, LLC [Member]  Zero Coupon Convertible Subordinated [Member] Exercisable [Member] Equipment Supplier [Member] Certain Purchasers of Company [Member] Range 0.34 to 0.50 Exercise Price Range [Axis] Range 0.51 to 1.00 Range 1.01 to 1.50 Range 3.50 to 3.82 Tranche 1 Class of Stock [Axis] Tranche 2 Tranche 3 Tranche 4 Tranche 5 & 6 Tranche 7 Minimum [Member] Range [Axis] ManufacturingEquipment [Member] PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByType [Axis] Maximum [Member] OfficeEquipment [Member] BuildingAndImprovementsMember BuildingAndImprovements [Member] Agreement [Member] LegalEntity [Axis] Tier Electronics LLC [Member] Document And Entity Information Entity Registrant Name Entity Central Index Key Document Type Document Period End Date Amendment Flag Current Fiscal Year End Date Is Entity a Well-known Seasoned Issuer? Is Entity a Voluntary Filer? Is Entity's Reporting Status Current? Entity Filer Category Entity Public Float Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding Document Fiscal Period Focus Document Fiscal Year Focus Statement of Financial Position [Abstract] Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents Accounts receivable, net Inventories Prepaid and other current assets Refundable income tax credit Total current assets Long-term assets: Property, plant and equipment, net Investment in investee company Intangible assets, net Goodwill Total assets Liabilities and Equity Current liabilities: Bank loans and notes payable Accounts payable Accrued expenses Customer deposits Accrued compensation and benefits Total current liabilities Long-term liabilities: Bank loans and notes payable Total liabilities Equity Series A preferred stock ($0.01 par value, $10,000 face value) Common stock ($0.01 par value); 150,000,000 authorized, 77,568,535 and 72,977,248 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2012 and June 30, 2012, respectively Additional paid-in capital Accumulated deficit Accumulated other comprehensive loss Total ZBB Energy Corporation Equity Noncontrolling interest Total equity Total liabilities and equity Preferred stock, par value Preferred stock, face value Common stock, par value Common stock, Authorized Common stock, Issued Common stock, outstanding Income Statement [Abstract] Revenues Product sales Engineering and development Total Revenues Costs and Expenses Cost of product sales Cost of engineering and development Advanced engineering and development Selling, general, and administrative Depreciation and amortization Total Costs and Expenses Loss from Operations Other Income (Expense) Equity in loss of investee company Interest income Interest expense Other income Total Other Income (Expense) Loss before provision (benefit) for Income Taxes Provision (benefit) for Income Taxes Net Loss Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest Net Loss Attributable to ZBB Energy Corporation Net Loss per share - Basic and diluted Weighted average shares-basic and diluted: Basic Diluted Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Comprehensive Loss Net loss Foreign exchange translation adjustments Comprehensive loss Statement [Table] Statement [Line Items] Beginning Balance Shares Beginning Balance Amount Net translation adjustment Warrants issued in connection with convertible debt Beneficial conversion on convertible debt Issuance of common stock, net of costs and underwriting fees, Shares Issuance of common stock, net of costs and underwriting fees, Amount Warrants issued to underwriters Issuance of preferred stock, net of issuance costs,Shares Issuance of preferred stock, net of issuance costs,Amount Stock-based compensation, Shares Stock-based compensation, Amount Retirement of treasury shares, Shares Retirement of treasury shares, Amount Interest on notes receivable - common stock Accretion of dividends on preferred stock Redemption of Preferred Stock, Shares Redemption of Preferred Stock, Amount Issuance of subsidiary shares to noncontrolling interest Ending Balance Shares Ending Balance Amount Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract] Cash flows from operating activities Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: Depreciation of property, plant and equipment Amortization of intangible assets Stock-based compensation Changes in assets and liabilities Accounts receivable Inventories Prepaids and other current assets Refundable income taxes Accounts payable Accrued compensation and benefits Accrued expenses Customer deposits Net cash used in operating activities Cash flows from investing activities Expenditures for property and equipment Net cash used in investing activities Cash flows from financing activities Repayments of bank loans and notes payable Proceeds from issuance of Series A preferred stock Proceeds from issuance of Common Stock Common stock issuance costs Proceeds from noncontrolling interest Net cash provided by financing activities Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period Cash and cash equivalents - end of period Cash paid for interest Supplemental non-cash investing and financing activities: Issuance of common stock for discounted notes receivable Notes to Financial Statements SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES CHINA JOINT VENTURE Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] GOING CONCERN Inventory Disclosure [Abstract] INVENTORIES Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract] PROPERTY, PLANT & EQUIPMENT Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract] INTANGIBLE ASSETS GOODWILL Debt Disclosure [Abstract] BANK LOANS AND NOTES PAYABLE Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract] EMPLOYEE/DIRECTOR EQUITY INCENTIVE PLANS WARRANTS Equity [Abstract] EQUITY Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] COMMITMENTS Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract] RETIREMENT PLANS Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract] INCOME TAXES Subsequent Events [Abstract] SUBSEQUENT EVENTS Description of Business Interim Financial Data Basis of Presentation Cash and Cash Equivalents Accounts Receivable Inventories Property, Plant and Equipment Investment in Investee Company Intangible Assets Goodwill Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Warranty Obligations Revenue Recognition Engineering and Development Revenues Advanced Engineering and Development Expenses Stock-Based Compensation Income Taxes Foreign Currency Loss per Share Concentrations of Credit Risk and Fair Value Use of Estimates Reclassifications Segment Information Recent Accounting Pronouncements Estimated Useful Lives Used For Each Class of Depreciable Assets Schedule Of Accrued Warranty Liability Operating results for AHMN Inventories Property, plant, and equipment Intangible assets Estimated amortization expense Company's debt Bank loans and notes payable Maximum aggregate annual principal payments for fiscal periods Stock option activity under the employee and director plans Stock options outstanding Assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of options Summary of the status of unvested employee stock options Status of restricted stock unit balances Warrant balances Transactions under the Socius agreement Future payments required under the terms of the leases for fiscal periods Provision (benefit) for income taxes Effective income tax rate reconciliation Significant components of the Company’s net deferred income tax assets Reconciliation of the beginning and ending balance of unrecognized income tax benefits Property, Plant and Equipment, Type [Axis] Estimated Useful Lives of Property, Plant and Equipment Beginning balance Accruals for warranties during the period Settlements during the perioid Adjustments relating to preexisting warranties Ending balance Legal Entity [Axis] Allowance for doubtful accounts Accrued expenses Total revenues Percentage revenues of significant customers Engineering and development revenues Engineering and development costs Received from customers for engineering and development contracts Revenue recognized China Joint Venture Details Revenues Gross Profit Income (loss) from operations Net Income (loss) Net loss Product sales Going Concern Details Narrative Net loss ZBB corporation equity Total liabilities Inventories Details Raw materials Work in progress Total Property Plant Equipment Details Land Building and improvements Manufacturing equipment Office equipment Construction in process Total, at cost Less, accumulated depreciation Property, Plant & Equipment, Net Intangible Assets Details Non-compete agreement License agreement Trade secrets Total, at cost Less, accumulated amortization Intangible Assets, Net Intangible Assets Details 1 2013 2014 Goodwill Details Narrative Net goodwill amount Bank Loans And Notes Payable Details Bank loans and notes payable-current Bank loans and notes payable-long term Total Bank Loans And Notes Payable Details 1 Note payable to the seller of Tier Electronics LLC payable in annual installments of 450,000 on January 21, 2013 and January 21, 2014. Interest accrues at a rate of 8% and is payable monthly. The promissory note is collateralized by the Company’s membership interest in its wholly-owned subsidiary Tier Electronics LLC. Note payable to Wisconsin Department of Commerce payable in monthly installments of $22,800, including interest at 2%, with the final payment due May 1, 2017; collateralized by equipment purchased with the loan proceeds and substantially all assets of the Company not otherwise collateralized. The Company is required to maintain and increase a specified number of employees, and the interest rate is increased in certain cases for failure to meet this requirement. Bank loan payable in fixed monthly payments of $6,800 of principal and interest at a rate of .25% below prime, as defined, subject to a floor of 5% as of June 30, 2012 and 2011 with any principal due at maturity on June 1, 2018; collateralized by the building and land. Note payable in fixed monthly installments of $6,716 of principal and interest at a rate of 5.5% with any principal due at maturity on May 1, 2028; collateralized by the building and land. Bank loan payable in monthly installments of $21,000 of principal and interest at a rate equal to prime, as defined, subject to a floor of 4.25% with any principal due at maturity on December 1, 2013; collateralized by specific equipment. Bank Loans And Notes Payable Details 2 2013 (nine months) 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 and thereafter Financing costs Interest expense related to the Notes Beginning balance Options granted Options vested Options forfeited Options exercised Ending balance Outstanding Number of Options Outstanding Number of Options Average Remaining Contractual Life (in years) Outstanding Number of OptionsWeighted Average Exercise Price Exercisable Number of Options Exercisable Average Remaining Contractual Life (in years) Exercisable Weighted Average Exercise Price Employeedirector Equity Incentive Plans Details 2 Expected life of option (years) Risk-free interest rate Assumed volatility Expected dividend rate Expected forfeiture rate Number of Options Beginning Balance, Number of Options Granted Vested Forfeited Ending Balance, number of options Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value Per Share Beginning Balance, grant date fair value Granted Vested Forfeited Ending Balance, grant date fair value Beginning Balance RSUs granted RSUs forfeited Ending balance Shares vested and cancelled - RSU Shares vested and cancelled Shares granted to employees Exercisable price, minimum Exercisable price, maximum Vesting term shares available for future grant Options outstanding Total fair value of options granted Unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested stock options Directors fees expense settled with RSUs Unvested RSUs outstanding Unvested RSUs outstanding vest through Unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested RSUs Beginning Balance Warrants granted Warrants expired Warrants exercised Ending balance Outstanding warrants to purchase Exercise price of warrants outstanding warrant expiration dates Underwriting compensation on sale of common stock Sale of a Zero Coupon Convertible Subordinated Notes Fair value of the warrants Date of Notice Series A Preferred Stock Purchased by Socius Shares of Common Stock Purchased by Socius Total Purchase Price of Common Stock Per Share Price Shares of Common Stock Issued by ZBB in Payment of Commitment Fee Discount on Collateralized Promissory Note Issued by Socius Liquidation preference of the outstanding Series A preferred stock Commitments Details 2013 (nine months) 2014 2015 2016 Operating lease commitment Retirement Plans Details Narrative Retirement plan expense Income Taxes Details Current Deferred Provision (benefit) for income taxes Income Taxes Details 1 Income tax benefit computed at the U.S. federal statutory rate Australia research and development credit Change in valuation allowance Total Income Taxes Details 2 Federal net operating loss carryforwards Federal - other Wisconsin net operating loss carryforwards Australia net operating loss carryforwards Deferred income tax asset valuation allowance Total deferred income tax assets Income Taxes Details 3 Beginning balance Effect of foreign currency translation Ending balance Income Tax Authority [Axis] Net operating loss carryforwards Operating Loss Carry forwards Expiration Dates Other federal deferred tax assets U.S. federal research and development tax credit carryforwards U.S. federal research and development tax credit carryforwards expiration dates Assets, Current Assets [Default Label] Liabilities, Current Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest Liabilities and Equity [Default Label] Revenue, Net Costs and Expenses [Default Label] Interest Expense Nonoperating Income (Expense) Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent Shares, Issued Increase (Decrease) in Inventories Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Payable Increase (Decrease) in Employee Related Liabilities Increase (Decrease) in Accrued Liabilities Increase (Decrease) in Deferred Revenue Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities Repayments of Notes Payable Payments of Stock Issuance Costs Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities Cash and Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease) Inventory, Policy [Policy Text Block] Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Goodwill, Policy [Policy Text Block] Schedule of Inventory, Current [Table Text Block] Schedule of Long-term Debt Instruments [Table Text Block] Product Warranty Accrual AhmnRevenues ProductSales Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization Notes Payable Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Two Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Number Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Forfeitures, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value RestrictedStockUnitsEndingBalance WarrantsBeginningBalance WarrantsEndingBalance Other Commitment, Due in Next Twelve Months Other Commitment, Due in Second Year Other Commitment, Due in Third Year Other Commitment, Due in Fourth Year Other Commitment Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance Unrecognized Tax Benefits Custom Element. 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Beneficial conversion on convertible debt Warrants issued to underwriters Issuance of preferred stock, net of issuance costs,Shares Issuance of preferred stock, net of issuance costs,Amount Interest on notes receivable - common stock Accretion of dividends on preferred stock Redemption of Preferred Stock, Shares Redemption of Preferred Stock, Amount Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element. Custom Element.