Note 5 - Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Fair Value, by Balance Sheet Grouping [Table Text Block]

	Carrying Value			March 31, 2014
	at March 31,			Fair Value
	2014			Total			Level 1		Level 2			Level 3
	(Dollars in thousands)
Assets
Current assets:
Cash equivalents (including restricted cash accounts)	$	62,946		$	62,946		$	62,946	$	-		$	-
Derivatives:
Swap transaction on oil price (1)		663			663			-		663			-
Swap transaction on natural gas price (2)		223			223			-		223			-
Currency forward contracts (3)		1,113			1,113			-		1,113			-
Liabilities:
Current liabilities:
Derivatives:
Swap transaction on natural gas price(2)		(3,941	)		(3,941	)		-		(3,941	)		-
	$	61,004		$	61,004		$	62,946	$	(1,942	)	$	-

	Carrying Value			December 31, 2013
	at December 31,			Fair Value
	2013			Total			Level 1		Level 2			Level 3
	(Dollars in thousands)
Assets
Current assets:
Cash equivalents (including restricted cash accounts)	$	40,015		$	40,015		$	40,015	$	-		$	-
Derivatives:
Currency forward contracts (3)		2,290			2,290			-		2,290			-
Liabilities:
Current liabilities:
Derivatives:
Swap transaction on oil price (1)		(2,490	)		(2,490	)		-		(2,490	)		-
Swap transaction on natural gas price(2)		(341	)		(341	)		-		(341	)		-
	$	39,474		$	39,474		$	40,015	$	(541	)	$	-

Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Table Text Block]

		Amount of recognized gain (loss)
		Three Months Ended March 31,
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments	Location of recognized gain (loss)	2014			2013
		(Dollars in thousands)
Put options on oil price	Electricity revenues	$	—		$	(927	)
Swap transaction on oil price	Electricity revenues		907			(295	)
Swap transaction on natural gas price	Electricity revenues		(3,276	)		(3,390	)
Currency forward contracts	Foreign currency translation and transaction gains (losses)		(231	)		2,035
		$	(2,600	)	$	(2,577	)

Schedule of Carrying Values and Estimated Fair Values of Debt Instruments [Table Text Block]

	Fair Value				Carrying Amount
	March 31, 2014		December 31, 2013		March 31, 2014		December 31, 2013
	(Dollars in millions)				(Dollars in millions)
Olkaria III Loan - DEG	$	40.7	$	40.3	$	39.5	$	39.5
Olkaria III Loan - OPIC		280.6		279.6		296.1		299.9
Amatitlan Loan		33.7		34.8		30.8		31.5
Senior Secured Notes:
Ormat Funding LLC ("OFC")		74.9		83.5		77.6		90.8
OrCal Geothermal LLC ("OrCal")		67.1		65.8		66.2		66.2
OFC 2 LLC ("OFC 2")		119.1		119.0		141.9		144.4
Senior Unsecured Bonds		265.9		270.6		250.5		250.6
Loans from institutional investors		18.2		20.1		17.7		19.5

Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Text Block]

	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
	(Dollars in millions)
Olkaria III Loan - DEG	$	—	$	—	$	40.7	$	40.7
Olkaria III Loan - OPIC		—		—		280.6		280.6
Amatitlan Loan		—		—		33.7		33.7
Senior Secured Notes:
OFC		—		74.9		—		74.9
OrCal		—		—		67.1		67.1
OFC 2		—		—		119.1		119.1
Senior unsecured bonds		—		—		265.9		265.9
Loan from institutional investors		—		—		18.2		18.2
Other long-term debt		—		21.7		—		21.7
Revolving credit lines with banks		—		97.2		—		97.2
Deposits		21.1		—		—		21.1

	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
	(Dollars in millions)
Olkaria III Loan - DEG	$	—	$	—	$	40.3	$	40.3
Olkaria III Loan - OPIC		—		—		279.6		279.6
Amatitlan Loan		—		—		34.8		34.8
Senior Secured Notes:
OFC		—		83.5		—		83.5
OrCal		—		—		65.8		65.8
OFC 2		—		—		119.0		119.0
Senior unsecured bonds		—		—		270.6		270.6
Loan from institutional investors		—		—		20.1		20.1
Other long-term debt		—		23.3		—		23.3
Revolving credit lines with banks		—		112.0		—		112.0
Deposits		21.3		—		—		21.3