Fair Value of Share-Based Payment Awards (Detail)	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Expected term	3 years 9 months	3 years	[1]	3 years 9 months
Risk-free interest rate		1.53%	[1]
Risk-free interest rate, Minimum	0.60%			0.60%	0.94%	[1]
Risk-free interest rate, Maximum	0.67%			0.89%	1.53%	[1]
Volatility		132.00%	[1]
Volatility, Minimum	220.00%			213.00%	132.00%	[1]
Volatility, Maximum	221.00%			221.00%	201.00%	[1]
Dividend yield	0.00%	0.00%	[1]	0.00%	0.00%	[1]
Minimum [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Expected term					3 years	[1]
Maximum [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Expected term					3 years 9 months	[1]

[1] As recast to reflect the activity of SGT beginning January 1, 2011 combined with the balances of Solar Power, Inc. beginning March 31, 2011, as required under the accounting guidelines for a transfer of an entity under common control (refer to Note 4-Acquisition of Solar Green Technology).