Note 12 - Long-term Debt, Credit Agreements and Finance Liability - Long-term Debt (Details) $ in Thousands, ₪ in Billions		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($)		Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Jul. 01, 2020 USD ($)	Jul. 01, 2020 ILS (₪)	May 13, 2020 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Apr. 20, 2020 USD ($)	Apr. 06, 2020 USD ($)	Mar. 25, 2019 USD ($)	Mar. 22, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	May 31, 2016 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Aug. 23, 2012 USD ($)
Non-Recourse Debt		$ 612,657		$ 674,856
Less current portion		(61,695)		(60,846)
Noncurrent portion		550,962		614,010
Recourse Debt		1,058,134		799,330
Less current portion		(313,846)		(17,768)
Noncurrent portion		744,288		781,562
Nonrecourse Debt [Member]
Amount Issued		147,500
Amount Outstanding		80,900
Loan Agreement With OPIC the Olkaria III Power Plant [Member]
Limited Resource		156,657		174,652
Amount Issued		310,000														$ 310,000
Amount Outstanding		156,700
Loan Agreement With OPIC the Olkaria III Power Plant [Member] | Tranche One [Member]
Amount Issued		85,000
Amount Outstanding		$ 42,500
Annual Interest Rate	[1]	6.34%
Loan Agreement With OPIC the Olkaria III Power Plant [Member] | Tranche Two [Member]
Amount Issued		$ 180,000
Amount Outstanding		$ 90,000
Annual Interest Rate	[1]	6.29%
Loan Agreement With OPIC the Olkaria III Power Plant [Member] | Tranche Three [Member]
Amount Issued		$ 45,000
Amount Outstanding		$ 24,200
Annual Interest Rate	[1]	6.12%
Hapoalim Loan [Member]
Amount Issued		$ 125,000
Amount Outstanding		$ 116,100
Annual Interest Rate	[2]	3.45%
HSBC Loan [Member]
Amount Issued		$ 50,000
Amount Outstanding		$ 50,000
Annual Interest Rate	[2]	3.45%
Discount Loan Agreement [Member]
Amount Issued		$ 100,000
Amount Outstanding		$ 100,000
Annual Interest Rate	[2]	2.90%
Senior Unsecured Bonds, Series 4 [Member]
Amount Issued		$ 289,800			$ 289,800	₪ 1
Amount Outstanding		$ 321,500
Annual Interest Rate	[2]	3.35%
Maturity Date		Jun. 30, 2031
Senior Unsecured Bonds, Series 3 [Member]
Amount Issued		$ 218,000					$ 15,300		$ 14,500	$ 51,100			$ 137,000
Amount Outstanding		$ 218,000
Annual Interest Rate		4.45%	[2]							4.45%
Maturity Date		Sep. 30, 2022
Senior Unsecured Loan (Migdal) [Member]
Recourse Debt		$ 191,600		200,000
Amount Issued		100,000										$ 100,000
Amount Outstanding		$ 95,800
Annual Interest Rate	[3]	4.80%
Maturity Date		Mar. 31, 2029
Olkaria IV Loan - DEG 2 [Member]
Amount Issued		$ 50,000
Amount Outstanding		$ 32,500
Annual Interest Rate	[2]	6.28%
Maturity Date		Jun. 30, 2028
Platanares Finance Agreement [Member]
Limited Resource		$ 88,073		96,266
Amount Issued		114,700
Amount Outstanding		$ 88,100
Annual Interest Rate	[1]	7.02%
Maturity Date		Sep. 30, 2032
Loan Agreement with Banco Industrial S.A. and Westrust Bank (International) Limited1 [Member]
Amount Issued		$ 42,000													$ 42,000
Amount Outstanding		$ 19,300
Maturity Date		Jun. 30, 2027
Loan Agreement with Banco Industrial S.A. and Westrust Bank (International) Limited1 [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Annual Interest Rate, Variable	[1]	4.35%
Plumstriker Loan Agreement [Member]
Limited Resource		$ 14,726		18,081
Amount Issued		23,500
Amount Outstanding		$ 14,700
Maturity Date		May 31, 2026
Plumstriker Loan Agreement [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Annual Interest Rate, Variable	[1]	3.50%
Don A. Campbell 1 ("DAC1") [Member]
Non-Recourse Debt		$ 67,939		73,121
Amount Issued		92,500
Amount Outstanding		$ 67,900
Annual Interest Rate	[1]	4.03%
Maturity Date		Sep. 30, 2033
Ormat Funding Corp [Member]
Limited Resource		$ 173,321		188,223
Amount Issued		291,700
Amount Outstanding		173,400
Ormat Funding Corp [Member] | Series A Senior Notes [Member]
Amount Issued		151,700
Amount Outstanding		$ 79,600
Annual Interest Rate	[4]	4.69%
Maturity Date		Dec. 31, 2032
Ormat Funding Corp [Member] | Series C Senior Notes [Member]
Amount Issued		$ 140,000
Amount Outstanding		$ 93,800
Annual Interest Rate	[4]	4.61%
Maturity Date		Dec. 31, 2032
Prudential Capital Group Agreement [Member]
Amount Issued														$ 20,000
Prudential Capital Group Agreement [Member] | Nonrecourse Debt [Member]
Amount Issued		$ 20,000
Amount Outstanding		$ 16,800
Annual Interest Rate	[5]	5.80%
Maturity Date		Mar. 31, 2023
Finance Liability [Member]
Amount Outstanding		$ 252,900
Annual Interest Rate	[2]	2.55%
Additional Migdal Loan [Member]
Amount Issued		$ 50,000									$ 50,000
Amount Outstanding		$ 47,900
Annual Interest Rate	[3]	4.60%
Maturity Date		Mar. 31, 2029
Olkaria IV Loan - DEG 3 [Member]
Amount Issued		$ 41,500
Amount Outstanding		$ 28,400
Annual Interest Rate	[2]	6.04%
Maturity Date		Jun. 30, 2028
DOE Loan Guarantee [Member] | Nonrecourse Debt [Member]
Amount Issued		$ 96,800
Amount Outstanding		$ 39,000
Annual Interest Rate	[5]	2.60%
Maturity Date		Feb. 28, 2035
Loan Agreement with Banco Industrial S.A. and Westrust Bank (International) Limited [Member]
Limited Resource		$ 19,250		22,750
Second Addendum Migdal Loan [Member]
Amount Issued		50,000						$ 50,000
Amount Outstanding		$ 47,900
Annual Interest Rate	[3]	5.44%
Maturity Date		Mar. 31, 2029
Olkaria IV Loan - DEG 2 and DEG 3 [Member]
Amount Issued		$ 91,500
Amount Outstanding		60,900
Prudential Capital Purchase Agreement [member] | Nonrecourse Debt [Member]
Amount Issued		30,700
Amount Outstanding		$ 25,100
Annual Interest Rate	[5]	6.75%
Maturity Date		Dec. 31, 2037
Migdal Senior Unsecured Loan [Member]
Amount Issued		$ 200,000
Amount Outstanding		191,600
Other Loans, Limited and Non-recourse [Member]
Limited Resource		79,064		84,118
Other Loans, Limited Resource [Member]
Limited Resource		5,930		7,807
Non-Recourse Debt		7,697		9,838
Senior Unsecured Bonds [Member]
Recourse Debt		539,567		529,066
Hapoalim Loan Agreement [Member]
Recourse Debt		266,071		0
Olkaria III DEG [Member]
Recourse Debt		60,896		70,264
Revolving Credit Lines With Banks [Member]
Recourse Debt		$ 0		$ 0

[1] payable quarterly

[2] payable semi-annually

[3] payable semi-annually in arrears.

[4] payable quarterly in arrears

[5] payable semi-annually, except for Nevada non-recourse which is payable quarterly