Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021	May 31, 2021	May 18, 2021	Mar. 31, 2021	Jun. 30, 2019	May 31, 2019	Aug. 31, 2016
EPS - basic:
Net income (loss) attributable to Green Plains	$ 46,398	$ 9,743	$ (15,076)	$ 3,198
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic (in shares)	53,033	45,425	52,960	41,581
EPS - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.87	$ 0.21	$ (0.28)	$ 0.08
EPS - diluted:
Net income (loss) attributable to Green Plains	$ 46,398	$ 9,743	$ (15,076)	$ 3,198
Net income (loss) attributable to Green Plains - diluted	$ 48,569	$ 11,536	$ (15,076)	$ 3,198
Effect of dilutive convertible debt:
Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)	66,895	58,171	52,960	42,675
EPS - diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.73	$ 0.20	$ (0.28)	$ 0.07
Anti-dilutive weighted-average convertible debt, warrants and stock-based compensation (in shares)	0	1,226	13,853	10,233
Warrants
Effect of dilutive convertible debt:
Effect of dilutive debt, warrants, stock based compensation awards awards (in shares)	757	669	0	345
Share-Based Payment Arrangement
Effect of dilutive convertible debt:
Effect of dilutive debt, warrants, stock based compensation awards awards (in shares)	500	698	0	749
4.125% Convertible Notes Due 2022 | Convertible Notes | Corporate Activities
Earnings Per Share, Diluted, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Interest rate, stated percentage	4.125%	4.125%	4.125%	4.125%						4.125%
EPS - diluted:
Convertible notes	$ 314	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Effect of dilutive convertible debt:
Effect of dilutive debt, warrants, stock based compensation awards awards (in shares)	1,226	0	0	0
4.00% Convertible Notes Due 2024 | Convertible Notes | Corporate Activities
Earnings Per Share, Diluted, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Interest rate, stated percentage	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%		4.00%	4.00%
EPS - diluted:
Convertible notes	$ 596	$ 577	$ 0	$ 0
Effect of dilutive convertible debt:
Effect of dilutive debt, warrants, stock based compensation awards awards (in shares)	4,106	4,106	0	0
2.25% Convertible Notes Due 2027 | Convertible Notes | Corporate Activities
Earnings Per Share, Diluted, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Interest rate, stated percentage	2.25%		2.25%				2.25%
EPS - diluted:
Convertible notes	$ 1,261	$ 1,216	$ 0	$ 0
Effect of dilutive convertible debt:
Effect of dilutive debt, warrants, stock based compensation awards awards (in shares)	7,273	7,273	0	0