The Company	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
The Company	THE COMPANY Solazyme, Inc. (the “Company”) was incorporated in the State of Delaware on March 31, 2003. The Company’s proprietary technology uses highly optimized microalgae in an industrial fermentation process to transform a growing range of abundant plant-based sugars into high-value triglyceride oils and other bioproducts. The Company’s renewable products can replace or enhance products derived from the world’s three existing oil sources: petroleum, plants, and animal fats. The Company has the ability to tailor the composition of its oils and other bioproducts to address specific customer requirements, offering superior performance characteristics and value. The Company has pioneered an industrial biotechnology platform that harnesses the oil-producing characteristics of microalgae. The Company uses standard industrial fermentation equipment to efficiently scale and accelerate microalgae’s natural oil production time to a few days. By feeding plant-based sugars to the Company’s proprietary oil-producing microalgae in dark fermentation tanks, the Company is in effect utilizing “indirect photosynthesis.” The Company’s technology platform is feedstock flexible and can utilize a wide variety of renewable plant-based sugars, including sugarcane-based sucrose, corn-based dextrose, and sugar from other sustainable biomass sources including cellulosics, which the Company believes will represent an important alternative feedstock in the future. Beyond triglyceride oils and other bioproducts, the Company’s technology platform allows it to also produce and sell specialty algal meal products for a range of product applications that utilize the protein, fiber and other compounds found in the cell wall and algal body of the microalgae. In January 2014, the Company commenced commercial operations at both Archer Daniels Midland Company's Clinton, Iowa facility, and the downstream companion facility operated by American Natural Processors, Inc. in Galva, Iowa ("Clinton/Galva Facilities"). In May 2014, the Company's joint venture with Bunge Global Innovation, LLC (together with its affiliates, "Bunge") produced its first commercially saleable products at the Solazyme Bunge Renewable Oils plant in Brazil ("Solazyme Bunge JV Plant"). The Company expects ongoing losses as it continues to scale-up its manufacturing, continues with its research and development activities and supports commercialization activities for its products. The Company plans to meet its capital requirements primarily through equity financing, collaborative agreements and the issuance of debt securities. The industry in which the Company is involved is highly competitive and is characterized by the risks of changing technologies, market conditions, and regulatory requirements. Penetration into markets requires investment of considerable resources and continuous development efforts. The Company’s future success depends upon several factors, including the technological quality, price, and performance of its products and services relative to those of its competitors, scaling up of production for commercial sale, ability to secure adequate project financing at appropriate terms, and the nature of regulation in its target markets.

THE COMPANY

Solazyme, Inc. (the “Company”) was incorporated in the State of Delaware on March 31, 2003. The Company’s proprietary technology uses highly optimized microalgae in an industrial fermentation process to transform a growing range of abundant plant-based sugars into high-value triglyceride oils and other bioproducts. The Company’s renewable products can replace or enhance products derived from the world’s three existing oil sources: petroleum, plants, and animal fats. The Company has the ability to tailor the composition of its oils and other bioproducts to address specific customer requirements, offering superior performance characteristics and value. The Company has pioneered an industrial biotechnology platform that harnesses the oil-producing characteristics of microalgae. The Company uses standard industrial fermentation equipment to efficiently scale and accelerate microalgae’s natural oil production time to a few days. By feeding plant-based sugars to the Company’s proprietary oil-producing microalgae in dark fermentation tanks, the Company is in effect utilizing “indirect photosynthesis.” The Company’s technology platform is feedstock flexible and can utilize a wide variety of renewable plant-based sugars, including sugarcane-based sucrose, corn-based dextrose, and sugar from other sustainable biomass sources including cellulosics, which the Company believes will represent an important alternative feedstock in the future. Beyond triglyceride oils and other bioproducts, the Company’s technology platform allows it to also produce and sell specialty algal meal products for a range of product applications that utilize the protein, fiber and other compounds found in the cell wall and algal body of the microalgae. In January 2014, the Company commenced commercial operations at both Archer Daniels Midland Company's Clinton, Iowa facility, and the downstream companion facility operated by American Natural Processors, Inc. in Galva, Iowa ("Clinton/Galva Facilities"). In May 2014, the Company's joint venture with Bunge Global Innovation, LLC (together with its affiliates, "Bunge") produced its first commercially saleable products at the Solazyme Bunge Renewable Oils plant in Brazil ("Solazyme Bunge JV Plant").

The Company expects ongoing losses as it continues to scale-up its manufacturing, continues with its research and development activities and supports commercialization activities for its products. The Company plans to meet its capital requirements primarily through equity financing, collaborative agreements and the issuance of debt securities.

The industry in which the Company is involved is highly competitive and is characterized by the risks of changing technologies, market conditions, and regulatory requirements. Penetration into markets requires investment of considerable resources and continuous development efforts. The Company’s future success depends upon several factors, including the technological quality, price, and performance of its products and services relative to those of its competitors, scaling up of production for commercial sale, ability to secure adequate project financing at appropriate terms, and the nature of regulation in its target markets.