Consolidated Statements of Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders' Equity (Deficit) (USD $)	Total	Solazyme Bunge Jv	Solazyme Bunge Jv First Vesting Tranche	Solazyme Bunge Jv Second Vesting Tranche	Redeemable convertible preferred stock	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Additional Paid-in Capital Solazyme Bunge Jv First Vesting Tranche	Additional Paid-in Capital Solazyme Bunge Jv Second Vesting Tranche	Notes Receivable From Stockholders	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Accumulated Deficit
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2009	$ (36,164,000)				$ 68,459,000	$ 11,000	$ 1,792,000			$ (1,552,000)		$ (36,415,000)
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2009					27,758,465	10,551,819
Issuance of Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock-net of issuance costs, (in shares)					6,775,660
Issuance of Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock at $8.86 per share, net of issuance costs of $286					59,714,000
Issuance of common stock warrant for services rendered	6,000						6,000
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock options (in shares)						1,354,021
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock options	644,000					1,000	643,000
Restricted stock issued related to employee bonus compensation	52,000					22,000	52,000
Restricted stock issued to nonemployees related to services performed (in shares)						139,250
Restricted stock issued to nonemployees related to services performed	351,000						351,000
Stock-based compensation expense related to employees	690,000						690,000
Stock-based compensation expense related to nonemployees	859,000						859,000
Interest earned on shareholder promissory notes	(45,000)									(45,000)
Accretion of redeemable convertible preferred stock	(140,000)				140,000							(140,000)
Change in unrealized loss on available-for-sale securities	(40,000)										(40,000)
Net loss	(16,280,000)											(16,280,000)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2010	(50,067,000)				128,313,000	12,000	4,393,000			(1,597,000)	(40,000)	(52,835,000)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2010					34,534,125	12,067,090
Issuance of common stock to nonemployee for services rendered (in shares)						2,000
Issuance of common stock to nonemployee for services rendered	16,000						16,000
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock options (in shares)						844,800
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock options	866,000					1,000	865,000
Restricted stock issued to nonemployees related to services performed (in shares)						42,583
Restricted stock issued to nonemployees related to services performed	547,000						547,000
Common stock issued pursuant to vesting of restricted stock units (in shares)						23,332
Common stock issued pursuant to vesting of restricted stock units	318,000						318,000
Stock-based compensation expense related to employees	6,188,000						6,188,000
Stock-based compensation expense related to nonemployees	3,854,000						3,854,000
Interest earned on shareholder promissory notes	(4,000)									(4,000)
Accretion of redeemable convertible preferred stock	(60,000)				60,000							(60,000)
Payments received on notes receivable from stockholders	1,601,000									1,601,000
Stock issued for initial public offering, net of offering costs (in shares)	12,021,250					12,021,250
Stock issued for initial public offering, net of offering costs	196,940,000					12,000	196,928,000
Conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock at initial public offering (in shares)					(34,534,125)	34,534,125
Conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock at initial public offering	128,374,000				(128,373,000)	35,000	128,339,000
Conversion of preferred stock warrant to redeemable convertible preferred stock at initial public offering, shares					303,855
Conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock to common stock at initial public offering, Shares					(303,855)	303,855
Exercise of preferred stock warrant and conversion to common stock, shares						64,103
Exercise of preferred stock warrant and conversion to common stock	25,000						25,000
Conversion of convertible preferred stock warrant to common stock and common stock warrants	6,598,000						6,598,000
Exercise of common stock warrants (in shares)						5,000
Exercise of common stock warrants	12,000						12,000
Change in unrealized loss on available-for-sale securities	(276,000)										(276,000)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(473,000)										(473,000)
Net loss	(53,901,000)											(53,901,000)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	240,558,000					60,000	348,083,000				(789,000)	(106,796,000)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2011						59,908,138
Issuance of common stock to nonemployee for services rendered (in shares)						20,000
Issuance of common stock to nonemployee for services rendered	221,000						221,000
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock options (in shares)	805,827					846,608
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock options	1,737,000					1,000	1,736,000
Issuance of common stock pursuant to ESPP (in shares)						115,980
Issuance of common stock pursuant to ESPP	1,161,000						1,161,000
Common stock issued pursuant to vesting of restricted stock units (in shares)						64,998
Common stock issued pursuant to vesting of restricted stock units	1,561,000						1,561,000
Common stock issued pursuant to vesting of performance stock units						45,000
Stock-based compensation expense related to employees	11,629,000						11,629,000
Stock-based compensation expense related to nonemployees	1,944,000						1,944,000
Reclassification of warrant liability to additional paid-in capital upon vesting of warrant shares issued for investment in unconsolidated joint venture			2,656,000	4,586,000				2,656,000	4,586,000
Change in unrealized loss on available-for-sale securities	642,000										642,000
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(252,000)										(252,000)
Net loss	(83,132,000)											(83,132,000)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 183,311,000					$ 61,000	$ 373,577,000				$ (399,000)	$ (189,928,000)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2012						61,000,724