Note 5 - Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2017

Notes Tables

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

				September 30, 2017
				Fair Value
	Carrying Value at September 30, 2017			Total			Level 1		Level 2			Level 3
	(Dollars in thousands)
Assets:
Current assets:
Cash equivalents (including restricted cash accounts)	$	13,497		$	13,497		$	13,497	$	—		$	—
Derivatives:
Put options on gas price (3)		61			61			—		61			—
Contingent receivable (1)		1,125			1,125			—		—			1,125
Currency forward contracts (2)		486			486			—		486			—
Liabilities:
Current and long-term liabilities:
Derivatives:
Contingent payables (1)	$	(25,913	)	$	(25,913	)	$	—	$	—		$	(25,913	)
Warrants (1)		(3,889	)		(3,889	)							(3,889	)
Currency forward contracts (2)		(203	)		(203	)		—		(203	)		—
	$	(14,836	)	$	(14,836	)	$	13,497	$	344		$	(28,677	)

				December 31, 2016
				Fair Value
	Carrying Value at December 31, 2016			Total			Level 1		Level 2			Level 3
	(Dollars in thousands)
Assets
Current assets:
Cash equivalents (including restricted cash accounts)	$	14,922		$	14,922		$	14,922	$	—		$	—
Derivatives:
Contingent receivable (1)		1,443			1,443			—		—			1,443
Liabilities:
Current and long-term liabilities:
Derivatives:
Contingent payables (1)	$	(11,581	)	$	(11,581	)	$	—	$	—		$	(11,581	)
Warrants (1)		(3,429	)		(3,429	)		—		—			(3,429	)
Currency forward contracts (2)		(481	)		(481	)		—		(481	)		—
	$	874		$	874		$	14,922	$	(481	)	$	(13,567	)

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

		Amount of recognized gain (loss)
Derivatives not designated	Location of recognized	Three Months Ended September 30,					Nine Months Ended September 30,
as hedging instruments	gain (loss)	2017			2016		2017			2016
Put options on natural gas price	Derivatives and foreign currency transaction gains (losses)	$	(121	)	$	—	$	(362	)	$	—
Call options on natural gas price	Derivatives and foreign currency transaction gains (losses)		—			32		—			(1,114	)
Call and put options on oil price	Derivatives and foreign currency transaction gains (losses)		—			230		—			(1,312	)
Contingent considerations	Derivative and foreign currency transaction gains (losses)		(19	)		—		(114	)		—
Currency forward contracts	Derivative and foreign currency and transaction gains (losses)		(887	)		689		2,832			1,154
		$	(1,027	)	$	951	$	2,356		$	(1,272	)

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

	Fair Value				Carrying Amount
	September 30, 2017		December 31, 2016		September 30, 2017		December 31, 2016
	(Dollars in millions)				(Dollars in millions)
Olkaria III Loan - DEG	$	—	$	16.3	$	—	$	15.8
Olkaria III Loan - OPIC		242.9		253.4		233.1		246.6
Olkaria IV Loan - DEG 2		52.4		50.9		50.0		50.0
Amatitlan Loan		34.2		37.3		34.1		36.8
Senior Secured Notes:
Ormat Funding Corp. ("OFC")		—		17.0		—		17.0
OrCal Geothermal Inc. ("OrCal")		34.1		37.4		32.1		35.2
OFC 2 LLC ("OFC 2")		242.5		249.0		236.6		247.2
Don A. Campbell 1 ("DAC1")		88.2		88.9		89.6		92.4
Senior Unsecured Bonds		201.4		200.1		204.3		204.3
Other long-term debt		7.3		10.4		8.0		11.2

Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Table Text Block]

	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
	(Dollars in millions)
Olkaria III - OPIC	$	—	$	—	$	242.9	$	242.9
Olkaria IV - DEG 2		—		—		52.4		52.4
Amatitlan Loan		—		34.2		—		34.2
Senior Secured Notes:
OrCal		—		—		34.1		34.1
OFC 2		—		—		242.5		242.5
Don A. Campbell 1		—		—		88.2		88.2
Senior Unsecured Bonds		—		—		201.4		201.4
Other long-term debt		—		—		7.3		7.3
Revolving lines of credit		—		33.9		—		33.9
Deposits		15.2		—		—		15.2

	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
	(Dollars in millions)
Olkaria III Loan - DEG	$	—	$	—	$	16.3	$	16.3
Olkaria III Loan - OPIC		—		—		253.4		253.4
Olkaria IV - DEG 2		—		—		50.9		50.9
Amatitlan Loan		—		37.3		—		37.3
Senior Secured Notes:
OFC		—		17.0		—		17.0
OrCal		—		—		37.4		37.4
OFC 2		—		—		249.0		249.0
Don A. Campbell 1		—		—		88.9		88.9
Senior Unsecured Bonds		—		—		200.1		200.1
Other long-term debt		—		3.3		7.1		10.4
Deposits		14.4		—		—		14.4