Note 1 - General and Basis of Presentation	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Notes to Financial Statements
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Text Block]	NOTE 1 — GENERAL AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION These unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements of Ormat Technologies, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for interim financial statements. Accordingly, they do not contain all information and notes required by U.S. GAAP for annual financial statements. In the opinion of management, these unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements reflect all adjustments, which include normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair statement of the Company’s consolidated financial position as of March 31, 2016, the consolidated results of operations and comprehensive income (loss) for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 and the consolidated cash flows for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2016 and 2015. The financial data and other information disclosed in the notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements related to these periods are unaudited. The results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2016. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015. The condensed consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2015 was derived from the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2015, but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. Dollar amounts, except per share data, in the notes to these financial statements are rounded to the closest $1,000. Guadeloupe power plant transaction On March 14, 2016, the Company signed an Investment Agreement and Shareholders Agreement with Sageos holding (“Sageos”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (“BRGM”), the French governmental geological survey company, to acquire, gradually, 85% of Geothermie Bouillante SA (“GB”). GB owns and operates the Bouillante geothermal power plant located on Guadeloupe Island, a French territory in the Caribbean. This plant currently generates approximately 10 MW and owns two exploration licenses providing for additional potential capacity of up to 30 MW. Under the agreements, the Company will pay approximately $24 million (linked to the US Dollar-Euro exchange rate) to Sageos for a 79.6% equity interest in GB at closing, which is expected in the second quarter of 2016. In addition, the Company is committed to further invest approximately $11 million (€10 million) during the first two years, which will increase its equity interest to 85%. The cash will be used mainly for the enhancement of the power plant. Under the Investment Agreement, the Company will pay Sageos an additional amount of up to approximately $17 million (€16 million) subject to the achievement of agreed upon production thresholds and capacity expansion within a defined time period. Alevo transaction On March 30, 2016, the Company signed an agreement with a subsidiary of Alevo Group SA (“Alevo”), a leading provider of energy storage systems, to jointly build, own and operate the Rabbit Hill Energy Storage Project (“Rabbit Hill”) located in Georgetown, Texas. The Company will own and fund the majority of Rabbit Hill and under the terms of the agreements, will provide engineering and construction services and balance of plant equipment. Alevo will provide its innovative GridBank™ inorganic lithium ion energy storage system in conjunction with the power conversion systems. In addition, Alevo will provide ongoing management and operations and maintenance services for the life of the project. The Company will hold an 85% interest in the Rabbit Hill project entity which will decrease to 50.1% subsequent to reaching certain IRR achievements. The Company will consolidate the Rabbit Hill project as a majority owned indirect subsidiary. Northleaf Transaction On April 30, 2015, Ormat Nevada Inc. (“Ormat Nevada”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, closed the sale of approximately 36.75% of the aggregate membership interests in ORPD LLC (“ORPD”), a new holding company and subsidiary of Ormat Nevada, that indirectly owns the Puna geothermal power plant in Hawaii, the Don A. Campbell geothermal power plant in Nevada, and nine power plant units across three recovered energy generation assets known as OREG 1, OREG 2 and OREG 3 to Northleaf Geothermal Holdings, LLC. Under the agreement with Northleaf, we are currently conducting the required power generation tests to determine the final capacity attributable to the second phase of Don A. Campbell and upon Ormat Nevada's contribution of the project to ORPD, Northleaf will pay the value equivalent to their interest share in ORPD. We estimate that Ormat Nevada will receive approximately $40 million cash for the sale of the second phase of Don Campbell expected in the second quarter of 2016. Other comprehensive income For the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company classified $3,000 and $7,000, respectively, from accumulated other comprehensive income, of which $4,000 and $12,000, respectively, were recorded to reduce interest expense and $1,000 and $5,000, respectively, were recorded against the income tax provision, in the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income. The accumulated net loss included in Other comprehensive income as of March 31, 2016 is $581,000. Write-off of unsuccessful exploration activities Write-off of unsuccessful exploration activities for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 was $0.6 million and $0.2 million, respectively. These write-offs of exploration costs are related to the Company’s exploration activities in Nevada, which the Company determined in the first quarter of 2016 would not support commercial operations. Concentration of credit risk Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to a concentration of credit risk consist principally of temporary cash investments and accounts receivable. The Company places its temporary cash investments with high credit quality financial institutions located in the United States (“U.S.”) and in foreign countries. At March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, the Company had deposits totaling $21,548,000 and $18,992,000, respectively, in seven U.S. financial institutions that were federally insured up to $250,000 per account. At March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, the Company’s deposits in foreign countries amounted to approximately $144,257,000 and $181,000,000, respectively. At March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, accounts receivable related to operations in foreign countries amounted to approximately $46,192,000 and $27,846,000, respectively. At March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, accounts receivable from the Company’s primary customers amounted to approximately 72% and 66%, respectively, of the Company’s accounts receivable. Sierra Pacific Power Company and Nevada Power Company (subsidiaries of NV Energy, Inc.) accounted for 23.2% and 24.0% for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Southern California Public Power Authority accounted for 12.1% and 5.9% for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Kenya Power and Lighting Co. Ltd. accounted for 17.4% and 17.8% for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers’ financial condition. The Company has historically been able to collect on all of its receivable balances, and accordingly, no provision for doubtful accounts has been made.

NOTE 1 — GENERAL AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

These unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements of Ormat Technologies, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for interim financial statements. Accordingly, they do not contain all information and notes required by U.S. GAAP for annual financial statements. In the opinion of management, these unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements reflect all adjustments, which include normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair statement of the Company’s consolidated financial position as of March 31, 2016, the consolidated results of operations and comprehensive income (loss) for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 and the consolidated cash flows for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2016 and 2015.

The financial data and other information disclosed in the notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements related to these periods are unaudited. The results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2016.

These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015. The condensed consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2015 was derived from the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2015, but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP.

Dollar amounts, except per share data, in the notes to these financial statements are rounded to the closest $1,000.

Guadeloupe power plant transaction

On March 14, 2016, the Company signed an Investment Agreement and Shareholders Agreement with Sageos holding (“Sageos”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (“BRGM”), the French governmental geological survey company, to acquire, gradually, 85% of Geothermie Bouillante SA (“GB”). GB owns and operates the Bouillante geothermal power plant located on Guadeloupe Island, a French territory in the Caribbean. This plant currently generates approximately 10 MW and owns two exploration licenses providing for additional potential capacity of up to 30 MW. Under the agreements, the Company will pay approximately $24 million (linked to the US Dollar-Euro exchange rate) to Sageos for a 79.6% equity interest in GB at closing, which is expected in the second quarter of 2016. In addition, the Company is committed to further invest approximately $11 million (€10 million) during the first two years, which will increase its equity interest to 85%. The cash will be used mainly for the enhancement of the power plant. Under the Investment Agreement, the Company will pay Sageos an additional amount of up to approximately $17 million (€16 million) subject to the achievement of agreed upon production thresholds and capacity expansion within a defined time period.

Alevo transaction

On March 30, 2016, the Company signed an agreement with a subsidiary of Alevo Group SA (“Alevo”), a leading provider of energy storage systems, to jointly build, own and operate the Rabbit Hill Energy Storage Project (“Rabbit Hill”) located in Georgetown, Texas. The Company will own and fund the majority of Rabbit Hill and under the terms of the agreements, will provide engineering and construction services and balance of plant equipment. Alevo will provide its innovative GridBank™ inorganic lithium ion energy storage system in conjunction with the power conversion systems. In addition, Alevo will provide ongoing management and operations and maintenance services for the life of the project. The Company will hold an 85% interest in the Rabbit Hill project entity which will decrease to 50.1% subsequent to reaching certain IRR achievements. The Company will consolidate the Rabbit Hill project as a majority owned indirect subsidiary.

Northleaf Transaction

On April 30, 2015, Ormat Nevada Inc. (“Ormat Nevada”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, closed the sale of approximately 36.75% of the aggregate membership interests in ORPD LLC (“ORPD”), a new holding company and subsidiary of Ormat Nevada, that indirectly owns the Puna geothermal power plant in Hawaii, the Don A. Campbell geothermal power plant in Nevada, and nine power plant units across three recovered energy generation assets known as OREG 1, OREG 2 and OREG 3 to Northleaf Geothermal Holdings, LLC.

Under the agreement with Northleaf, we are currently conducting the required power generation tests to determine the final capacity attributable to the second phase of Don A. Campbell and upon Ormat Nevada's contribution of the project to ORPD, Northleaf will pay the value equivalent to their interest share in ORPD. We estimate that Ormat Nevada will receive approximately $40 million cash for the sale of the second phase of Don Campbell expected in the second quarter of 2016.

Other comprehensive income

For the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company classified $3,000 and $7,000, respectively, from accumulated other comprehensive income, of which $4,000 and $12,000, respectively, were recorded to reduce interest expense and $1,000 and $5,000, respectively, were recorded against the income tax provision, in the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income.

The accumulated net loss included in Other comprehensive income as of March 31, 2016 is $581,000.

Write-off of unsuccessful exploration activities

Write-off of unsuccessful exploration activities for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 was $0.6 million and $0.2 million, respectively. These write-offs of exploration costs are related to the Company’s exploration activities in Nevada, which the Company determined in the first quarter of 2016 would not support commercial operations.

Concentration of credit risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to a concentration of credit risk consist principally of temporary cash investments and accounts receivable.

The Company places its temporary cash investments with high credit quality financial institutions located in the United States (“U.S.”) and in foreign countries. At March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, the Company had deposits totaling $21,548,000 and $18,992,000, respectively, in seven U.S. financial institutions that were federally insured up to $250,000 per account. At March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, the Company’s deposits in foreign countries amounted to approximately $144,257,000 and $181,000,000, respectively.

At March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, accounts receivable related to operations in foreign countries amounted to approximately $46,192,000 and $27,846,000, respectively. At March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, accounts receivable from the Company’s primary customers amounted to approximately 72% and 66%, respectively, of the Company’s accounts receivable.

Sierra Pacific Power Company and Nevada Power Company (subsidiaries of NV Energy, Inc.) accounted for 23.2% and 24.0% for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Southern California Public Power Authority accounted for 12.1% and 5.9% for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Kenya Power and Lighting Co. Ltd. accounted for 17.4% and 17.8% for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers’ financial condition. The Company has historically been able to collect on all of its receivable balances, and accordingly, no provision for doubtful accounts has been made.