Represents the current energy capacity generated by the acquiree.

No definition available.

Name:	ora_BusinessAcquisitionCurrentCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	ora_
Data Type:	num:energyItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the maximum potential energy capacity of the acquiree.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ora_BusinessAcquisitionExpansionCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	ora_
Data Type:	num:energyItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the maximum capacity of energy operated by the acquiree.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ora_BusinessAcquisitionMaximumCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	ora_
Data Type:	num:energyItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The maximum amount to be paid to the previous owner of the acquiree in order to acheive producation thresholds and expand capacity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ora_BusinessCombinationAdditionalCapacityExpansionInvestmentMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	ora_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of acquired ownership interests allocated to the entity as one the acquirers in the business acquisition.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ora_BusinessCombinationCoacquisitionPercentageOfOwnershipInterestAllocated
Namespace Prefix:	ora_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of ownership interests expected to hold after additional future investment in a business acquisition.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ora_BusinessCombinationExpectedOwnershipInterest
Namespace Prefix:	ora_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of future investment committed to acquire additional ownership interests in the acquiree.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ora_BusinessCombinationFutureInvestmentCommitted
Namespace Prefix:	ora_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The period over which a future investment is committed to acquire additional ownership interests in the acquiree.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ora_BusinessCombinationFutureInvestmentCommittedPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	ora_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the expected revenues upon the completion of the enhancement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ora_ExpectedRevenuesUponCompletionOfTheEnhancement
Namespace Prefix:	ora_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of exploration licenses owned.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ora_NumberOfExplorationLicensesOwned
Namespace Prefix:	ora_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the period of the purchase agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ora_PurchaseAgreementPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	ora_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of voting equity interests acquired at the acquisition date in the business combination.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65885119&loc=d3e1392-128463

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPercentageOfVotingInterestsAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Aggregate dividends declared during the period for each share of common stock outstanding.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of paid and unpaid common stock dividends declared with the form of settlement in cash, stock and payment-in-kind (PIK).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 405
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6957935&loc=d3e64057-112817

+ Details

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

- Definition

The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of business during the period. The cash portion only of the acquisition price.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Investing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3213-108585

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=ora_GeothermieBouillanteSaGbMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=ora_OrmatSystemsLtdAndCaisseDesDepotsEtConsignationsCDCMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=ora_OrmatSystemsLtdMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=ora_CaisseDesDepotsEtConsignationsCDCMember
Namespace Prefix:
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Note 12 - Subsequent Events (Details Textual) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands, € in Millions		1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Aug. 02, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares	Jul. 31, 2016 EUR (€) MWh	Jul. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 $ / shares	Jun. 30, 2015 $ / shares	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares	Jul. 31, 2016 USD ($) MWh
Subsequent Event [Member] \| Geothermie Bouillante SA (“GB”) [Member] \| Ormat Systems LTD and Caisse des Depots et Consignations (CDC) [Member]
Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired		80.00%						80.00%
Business Combination, Expected Ownership Interest		85.00%						85.00%
Subsequent Event [Member] \| Geothermie Bouillante SA (“GB”) [Member]
Business Acquisition, Maximum Capacity		14.75						14.75
Business Acquisition, Current Capacity		10						10
Number of Exploration Licenses Owned		2						2
Business Acquisition, Expansion Capacity		45						45
Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired		60.00%						60.00%
Business Combination, Expected Ownership Interest		63.75%						63.75%
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross		€ 16.7	$ 18,600
Business Combination, Future Investment Committed		7.5						$ 8,400
Business Combination, Additional Capacity Expansion Investment, Maximum		€ 12.0	$ 13,400
Business Combination, Future Investment Committed, Period		2 years	2 years
Purchase Agreement Period		15 years	15 years
Expected Revenues Upon Completion of the Enhancement		€ 20.0	$ 22,300
Subsequent Event [Member] \| Ormat Systems Ltd [Member]
Business Combination, Co-acquisition, Percentage of Ownership Interest Allocated		75.00%						75.00%
Subsequent Event [Member] \| Caisse des Depots et Consignations (CDC) [Member]
Business Combination, Co-acquisition, Percentage of Ownership Interest Allocated		25.00%						25.00%
Subsequent Event [Member]
Dividends, Common Stock \| $	$ 3,500
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared \| $ / shares	$ 0.07
Dividends, Common Stock \| $						$ 18,998	$ 6,830
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared \| $ / shares				$ 0.07	$ 0.06	$ 0.38	$ 0.12