Note 17 - Operating Risk and Geographical Information (Details) - Concentrations of Credit Risk and Major Customers (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 42,629		$ 99,956
Related Party Sales, Including North Palm Springs Investments LLC [Member] | Customer Concentration Risk [Member] | Sales Revenue, Net [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Revenue		[1]	35,539	[1]
Revenue, Percentage		[1]	36.00%	[1]
Recievables, Percentage		[1]	36.00%	[1]
Related Party Sales, Including North Palm Springs Investments LLC [Member] | Customer Concentration Risk [Member] | Accounts Receivable [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Revenue, Percentage		[1]	11.00%	[1]
Recievables		[1]	11,858	[1]
Recievables, Percentage		[1]	11.00%	[1]
Taneo Fund Management Company [Member] | Customer Concentration Risk [Member] | Sales Revenue, Net [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Revenue	13,854
Revenue, Percentage	32.00%
Recievables, Percentage	32.00%
Taneo Fund Management Company [Member] | Customer Concentration Risk [Member] | Accounts Receivable [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Revenue, Percentage	20.00%		16.00%
Recievables	8,801		16,078
Recievables, Percentage	20.00%		16.00%
KDC Solar Credi tLS LLC [Member] | Customer Concentration Risk [Member] | Sales Revenue, Net [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Revenue	22,829		26,010
Revenue, Percentage	54.00%		26.00%
Recievables, Percentage	54.00%		26.00%
KDC Solar Credi tLS LLC [Member] | Customer Concentration Risk [Member] | Accounts Receivable [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Revenue, Percentage	31.00%		39.00%
Recievables	13,668		39,993
Recievables, Percentage	31.00%		39.00%
SDL Solar [Member] | Customer Concentration Risk [Member] | Accounts Receivable [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Revenue, Percentage	16.00%
Recievables	7,056
Recievables, Percentage	16.00%
Solar Hub Utilities, LLC [Member] | Customer Concentration Risk [Member] | Accounts Receivable [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Revenue, Percentage	19.00%
Recievables	8,450
Recievables, Percentage	19.00%
Customer Concentration Risk [Member] | Sales Revenue, Net [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Revenue	36,683		61,549
Revenue, Percentage	86.00%		62.00%
Recievables, Percentage	86.00%		62.00%
Customer Concentration Risk [Member] | Accounts Receivable [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Revenue, Percentage	86.00%		66.00%
Recievables	$ 37,975		$ 67,929
Recievables, Percentage	86.00%		66.00%

[1] North Palm Springs Investments, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of LDK Solar USA, Inc.