Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Recent Accounting Pronouncements	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Recent Accounting Pronouncements	SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS Basis of Presentation - The accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and include all adjustments necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s condensed consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Solazyme Brazil Renewable Oils and Bioproducts Limitada (“Solazyme Brazil”), the operations of which began in the first quarter of 2011, and Solazyme Manufacturing 1, L.L.C, which was formed in the second quarter of 2011 to own the commercial production facility assets located in Peoria, Illinois ("Peoria Facility"). All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The Company has an interest in an active joint venture entity that is a variable interest entity (“VIE”). Determining whether to consolidate a VIE in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 810, Consolidation, requires judgment in assessing (i) whether an entity is a VIE entity and (ii) if the Company is the entity’s primary beneficiary and thus required to consolidate the entity. To determine if the Company is the primary beneficiary of a VIE, the Company evaluates whether it has (i) the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits of the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. On April 2, 2012, the Company entered into a joint venture agreement ("Joint Venture Agreement") with Bunge. In connection with the Company’s joint venture with Bunge (“Solazyme Bunge JV”), Solazyme Bunge Produtos Renováveis Ltda. was formed, which is a VIE and is 50.1% owned by the Company and 49.9% owned by Bunge. The Company determined that it was not required to consolidate the 50.1% ownership in this joint venture and, therefore, accounts for this joint venture under the equity method of accounting (see Note 11). The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited consolidated financial statements and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments of a normal recurring nature considered necessary to present fairly the Company’s interim financial information. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2015, or for other interim periods or future years. These unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, as filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 6, 2015. The December 31, 2014 unaudited interim condensed consolidated balance sheet included herein was derived from the audited consolidated financial statements as of that date, but does not include all disclosures, including notes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. Significant Accounting Policies – There have been no changes to the Company’s significant accounting policies since the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014. Recent Accounting Pronouncements – In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in FASB ASC 605, Revenue Recognition. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date, which delays the effective date of ASU 2014-09 by one year. This standard will therefore be effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2018. This revenue guidance is based on the principle that revenue is recognized to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services and requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. Early adoption would be permitted, but not before the original effective date of December 15, 2016. The Company is currently assessing the potential impact of this new guidance on its consolidated financial statements. In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, “Presentation of Financial Statements - Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40); Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” which requires management of a company to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. This standard will be effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of 2017. The Company is currently assessing the potential impact of this new guidance on its consolidated financial statements. In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis. ASU 2015-02 amends the analysis performed to determine whether a reporting entity should consolidate certain types of legal entities. This standard requires retrospective adoption and will be effective for the Company beginning in its first quarter of 2016. The Company is currently assessing the potential impact of this new guidance on its consolidated financial statements. In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Interest - Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30), which requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. This standard requires retrospective adoption and will be effective for the Company beginning in its first quarter of 2016. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-15, Interest – Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements - Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to Staff Announcement at 18 June 2015 EITF Meeting. ASU 2015-15 incorporates the SEC staff's announcement that clarifies the exclusion of line-of-credit arrangements from the scope of ASU 2015-03. The Company is currently assessing the potential impact of this new guidance on its consolidated financial statements. In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11, Inventory (Topic 330): Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory. Topic 330, Inventory, currently requires an entity to measure inventory at the lower of cost or market, with market value represented by replacement cost, net realizable value or net realizable value less a normal profit margin. The amendments in ASU 2015-11 require an entity to measure inventory at the lower of cost or net realizable value. This standard requires retrospective adoption and will be effective for the Company beginning in its first quarter of 2017. The Company is currently assessing the potential impact of this new guidance on its consolidated financial statements.

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

Basis of Presentation - The accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and include all adjustments necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s condensed consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Solazyme Brazil Renewable Oils and Bioproducts Limitada (“Solazyme Brazil”), the operations of which began in the first quarter of 2011, and Solazyme Manufacturing 1, L.L.C, which was formed in the second quarter of 2011 to own the commercial production facility assets located in Peoria, Illinois ("Peoria Facility"). All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The Company has an interest in an active joint venture entity that is a variable interest entity (“VIE”). Determining whether to consolidate a VIE in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 810, Consolidation, requires judgment in assessing (i) whether an entity is a VIE entity and (ii) if the Company is the entity’s primary beneficiary and thus required to consolidate the entity. To determine if the Company is the primary beneficiary of a VIE, the Company evaluates whether it has (i) the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits of the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

On April 2, 2012, the Company entered into a joint venture agreement ("Joint Venture Agreement") with Bunge. In connection with the Company’s joint venture with Bunge (“Solazyme Bunge JV”), Solazyme Bunge Produtos Renováveis Ltda. was formed, which is a VIE and is 50.1% owned by the Company and 49.9% owned by Bunge. The Company determined that it was not required to consolidate the 50.1% ownership in this joint venture and, therefore, accounts for this joint venture under the equity method of accounting (see Note 11).

The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited consolidated financial statements and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments of a normal recurring nature considered necessary to present fairly the Company’s interim financial information. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2015, or for other interim periods or future years.

These unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, as filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 6, 2015. The December 31, 2014 unaudited interim condensed consolidated balance sheet included herein was derived from the audited consolidated financial statements as of that date, but does not include all disclosures, including notes required by GAAP for complete financial statements.

Significant Accounting Policies – There have been no changes to the Company’s significant accounting policies since the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements – In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in FASB ASC 605, Revenue Recognition. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date, which delays the effective date of ASU 2014-09 by one year. This standard will therefore be effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2018. This revenue guidance is based on the principle that revenue is recognized to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services and requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. Early adoption would be permitted, but not before the original effective date of December 15, 2016. The Company is currently assessing the potential impact of this new guidance on its consolidated financial statements.

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, “Presentation of Financial Statements - Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40); Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” which requires management of a company to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. This standard will be effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of 2017. The Company is currently assessing the potential impact of this new guidance on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis. ASU 2015-02 amends the analysis performed to determine whether a reporting entity should consolidate certain types of legal entities. This standard requires retrospective adoption and will be effective for the Company beginning in its first quarter of 2016. The Company is currently assessing the potential impact of this new guidance on its consolidated financial statements.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Interest - Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30), which requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. This standard requires retrospective adoption and will be effective for the Company beginning in its first quarter of 2016. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-15, Interest – Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements - Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to Staff Announcement at 18 June 2015 EITF Meeting. ASU 2015-15 incorporates the SEC staff's announcement that clarifies the exclusion of line-of-credit arrangements from the scope of ASU 2015-03. The Company is currently assessing the potential impact of this new guidance on its consolidated financial statements.

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11, Inventory (Topic 330): Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory. Topic 330, Inventory, currently requires an entity to measure inventory at the lower of cost or market, with market value represented by replacement cost, net realizable value or net realizable value less a normal profit margin. The amendments in ASU 2015-11 require an entity to measure inventory at the lower of cost or net realizable value. This standard requires retrospective adoption and will be effective for the Company beginning in its first quarter of 2017. The Company is currently assessing the potential impact of this new guidance on its consolidated financial statements.