Note 12 - Tax Monetization Transactions (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Thousands									1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			72 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2023	Oct. 27, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 23, 2022	Oct. 25, 2021	Aug. 14, 2019	May 17, 2018	Dec. 16, 2016	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2022
Income Generated From Expected Sale of Transferable Production Tax Credits										$ 10,800
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Tax Credit, Investment, Amount										18,700
Proceeds from Sale of Production Tax Credit									$ 3,300
Proceeds from Sale of Investment Tax Credits									$ 21,800
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests										$ 7,341	$ 5,443	$ 5,390
JPM Capital Corporation [Member]
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests	$ 2,000												$ 15,300
DAC 2 [Member]
Percentage Of Ownership Interests								63.25%
Other Geothermal Power Plants [Member]
Percentage Of Ownership Interests								100.00%
OPC LLC [Member] | JPM Capital Corporation [Member] | Capital Unit, Class B [Member]
Fair Value of Equity Interest Sold								$ 3,000
Tungsten Mountain [Member]
Partnership Agreement, Initial Purchase Price							$ 33,400
Partnership Agreement, Expected Additional Installments							$ 13,000
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Distributable Cash Flow Generated to Private Investor if Target Return Not Reached							100.00%
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Taxable Income to Private Investor if Target Return Not Reached							99.00%
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Taxable Income to Private Investor if Target Return Not Reached, No Longer Generating PTCs							5.00%
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Distributable Cash Flow Generated							97.50%
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Taxable Income							95.00%
McGinness Plant [Member]
Partnership Agreement, Initial Purchase Price						$ 59,300
Partnership Agreement, Expected Additional Installments						$ 9,000
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Distributable Cash Flow Generated to Private Investor if Target Return Not Reached						100.00%
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Taxable Income to Private Investor if Target Return Not Reached						99.00%
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Taxable Income to Private Investor if Target Return Not Reached, No Longer Generating PTCs						5.00%
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Distributable Cash Flow Generated						97.50%
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Taxable Income						95.00%
McGinness Plant [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Partnership Agreement, Expected Additional Installments						$ 22,000
Ormat Nevada [Member] | North Valley Geothermal Power Plant [Member]
Partnership Agreement, Initial Purchase Price		$ 43,100
Partnership Agreement, Expected Additional Installments		$ 6,100
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Distributable Cash and Taxable Income Generated		97.50%
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Distributable Cash Flow Generated to Private Investor if Target Return Not Reached		100.00%
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Taxable Income to Private Investor if Target Return Not Reached		99.00%
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Taxable Income to Private Investor if Target Return Not Reached, No Longer Generating PTCs		5.00%
Mammoth Complex [Member] | CD4 Geothermal Power Plant [Member]
Partnership Agreement, Initial Purchase Price				$ 50,300
Partnership Agreement, Expected Additional Installments				$ 7,300
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Distributable Cash Flow Generated to Private Investor if Target Return Not Reached				75.00%
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Taxable Income to Private Investor if Target Return Not Reached				99.00%
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Taxable Income to Private Investor if Target Return Not Reached, No Longer Generating PTCs				5.00%
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Tax Attributes Attributable to Investor				99.00%
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Distributable Cash Flow Generated				97.50%
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Taxable Income				95.00%
Partnership Agreement, Initial Purchase Price, Allocated to Noncontrolling Interest				$ 3,900
Partnership Agreement, Initial Purchase Price, Allocated to Tax Benefits				$ 46,400
Ormat Nevada Inc. [Member] | Steamboat Hills Repower Geothermal Power Plant [Member]
Partnership Agreement, Initial Purchase Price					$ 38,900
Partnership Agreement, Expected Additional Installments					$ 5,300
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Distributable Cash Flow Generated to Private Investor if Target Return Not Reached					100.00%
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Taxable Income to Private Investor if Target Return Not Reached					99.00%
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Taxable Income to Private Investor if Target Return Not Reached, No Longer Generating PTCs					5.00%
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Distributable Cash Flow Generated					97.50%
Partnership Agreement, Percentage of Taxable Income					95.00%
Opal Geo LLC [Member]
Percentage Of Distributable Cash to Controlling Interest								97.50%
Percentage of Income (Loss), Gain, Deduction and Credit Allocated to Controlling Interests	95.00%							1.00%
Percentage of Income (Loss), Gain, Deduction and Credit Allocated to Controlling Interests, PTCs Not Available								95.00%
Opal Geo LLC [Member] | Capital Unit, Class A [Member]
Percentage Of Ownership Interests								100.00%
Opal Geo LLC [Member] | JPM Capital Corporation [Member]
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests								$ 62,100
Percentage Of Distributable Cash to Nontrolling Interests			100.00%					2.50%
Percentage of Income (Loss), Gain, Deduction and Credit Allocated to Noncontrolling Interests	5.00%							99.00%
Percentage of Income (Loss), Gain, Deduction and Credit Allocated to Noncontrolling Interests, PTCs Not Available								5.00%
Opal Geo LLC [Member] | JPM Capital Corporation [Member] | Capital Unit, Class B [Member]
Percentage of Equity Interest Sold								100.00%