Long-Term Debt (Details) (USD $)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012
Performance Bond Abstract
Number of Standby Letters of Credit	14
Number of Surety Bonds	4
Letter of Credit and Surety Bonds	$ 8,000,000
Number of Bid Bonds Contract	11
Number of stand by letters of credit deposited in certificates of deposit and escrow accounts	11
Amount of certificate of deposit and escrow accounts, which are restricted until eleven standby letters of credit have expired	5,800,000
First Line of Credit [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Number of Credit Agreements	1
Susquehanna Bank co-borrower: GSE Power Systems, Inc.	GSE Power Systems, Inc.
Susquehanna Bank co-borrower: GSE EnVision LLC	GSE EnVision LLC
Principal amount of the Susquehanna line of credit	7,500,000
Interest rate floor related to Susquehanna Bank agreement	4.50%
Line of credit facility term in years	2Y
Expiration date of credit agreements with Susquehanna Bank	November 1, 2013
Minimum Cash Balance Requirement	3,000,000
Minimum tangible capital base - Covenant Description	Must Exceed $26.0 million
Minimum tangible capital base - Covenant Compliance	$32.1 million
Quick ratio - Covenant Description	Must Exceed 2.00 : 1.00
Quick ratio- Covenant Compliance	2.61 : 1.00
Tangible capital base ratio - Covenant Description	Not to Exceed .75 : 1.00
Tangible capital base ratio - Covenant Compliance	.57 : 1.00
Issuances of stand-by letters of credit and advances as of period end	$ 323,000