Note 15 - Subsequent Event (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended										0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2008	Dec. 31, 2011	Jan. 09, 2013 Subsequent Event [Member] Shares Earned Upon Execution of the Revised Agreement [Member]	Jan. 09, 2013 Subsequent Event [Member] Shares earned upon receipt by the Company [Member]	Jan. 09, 2013 Subsequent Event [Member] Shares earned upon the signing of binding agreements [Member]	Jan. 09, 2013 Subsequent Event [Member] Shares earned upon the commencement of construction [Member]	Mar. 05, 2013 Subsequent Event [Member] Corporate Term Debt [Member]	Mar. 05, 2013 Subsequent Event [Member] Senior Secured Mortgage Loan [Member]	Mar. 05, 2013 Subsequent Event [Member] Convertible Bond [Member]	Mar. 05, 2013 Subsequent Event [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Subsequent Event [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Subsequent Event [Member]	Jan. 09, 2013 Subsequent Event [Member]
Percentage of Present Value of Project, Paid as Incentive Compensation														1.00%
Common Stock, Capital Shares Reserved for Future Issuance (in Shares)	1,898,620			100,000	100,000	100,000	100,000							400,000
Percentage of Project's Annual Capacity														51.00%
Number of Milestones for Common Stock Issuances														4
Compensation													$ 25,000
Long-term Debt	63,261,000		52,036,000					66,000,000
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate									30,000,000
Convertible Debt										53,500,000
Working Capital	(14,000)										17,500,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage									8.00%	7.00%
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Conversion Price (in Dollars per share)										$ 8.05
Lease Term on Railroad Use		99 years
Payments for (Proceeds from) Loans and Leases												$ 3,300,000