Basis of Presentation (Policies)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2022
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements of ADES are unaudited and have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("U.S. GAAP") and with Article 10 of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission. In compliance with those instructions, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in annual consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted. The unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements of ADES in this quarterly report ("Quarterly Report") are presented on a consolidated basis and include ADES and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively, the "Company"). Also included within the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements are the Company's unconsolidated equity investments: Tinuum Group and Tinuum Services, which are accounted for under the equity method of accounting, and Highview Enterprises Limited (the "Highview Investment"), which is accounted for in accordance with U.S. GAAP applicable to equity investments that do not qualify for the equity method of accounting. Results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the entire year. All significant intercompany transactions and accounts were eliminated in consolidation for all periods presented in this Quarterly Report. In the opinion of management, these Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include all normal and recurring adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations, financial position, stockholders' equity and cash flows for the interim periods presented. These Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 (the "2021 Form 10-K").
Earnings (Loss) Per Share	Basic earnings (loss) per share is computed using the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding duringthe reporting period. Diluted earnings (loss) per share is computed in a manner consistent with that of basic earnings per share, while considering other potentially dilutive securities. For the three months ended March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2021, potentially dilutive securities consist of unvested restricted stock awards ("RSA's") and contingent performance stock units ("PSU's").
Use of Estimates	The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. There have been no changes in the Company’s critical accounting estimates from those that were disclosed in the 2021 Form 10-K. Actual results could differ from these estimates.
Risks and Uncertainties	will continue to have a material adverse impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows. For 2022, the Company is solely dependent on operations of its APT business and its cash and cash equivalents on hand to provide liquidity over the near and long term. The Company's revenues, sales volumes, earnings and cash flows are significantly affected by prices of competing power generation sources such as natural gas and renewable energy. During periods of low natural gas prices, natural gas provides a competitive alternative to coal-fired power generation and therefore, coal consumption may be reduced, which in turn reduces the demand for the Company's products. However, during periods of higher prices for competing power generation sources, there is an increase in coal consumption and thus demand for the Company's products also increases. In addition, coal consumption and demand for the Company's products are affected by the demand for electricity, which is higher in the warmer and colder months of the year. Abnormal temperatures during the summer and winter months may significantly affect coal consumption and impurities within various municipalities' water sources, and thus impact the demand for the Company's products.The Company's financial instruments that are exposed to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents. The Company holds cash and cash equivalents at two financial institutions as of March 31, 2022. If an institution was unable to perform its obligations, the Company would be at risk regarding the amount of cash and investments in excess of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation limits (currently $250 thousand) that would be returned to the Company.
Reclassifications	Certain balances have been reclassified from the prior year to conform to the current year presentation. Such reclassifications had no effect on the Company’s results of operations or financial position in any of the periods presented.
Segments	Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise about which separate financial information is available that is evaluated regularly by a company's chief operating decision maker ("CODM"), or a decision-making group, in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing financial performance. As of March 31, 2022, the Company's CODM was the Company's Chief Executive Officer, and the Company concluded that it has one reportable segment, Advanced Purification Technologies ("APT"). Given the wind-down of Tinuum Group and Tinuum Services and the impact on the Company's financial statements, the Company determined the historical RC segment no longer met the qualitative or quantitative criteria to be considered a reporting segment under U.S. GAAP. As a result, including the method in which the CODM allocates resources, beginning January 1, 2022, the Company determined that it had one reportable segment, and therefore has removed its segment disclosures for this Quarterly Report.
New Accounting Standards	In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326) Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments ("ASU 2016-13"). The main objective of ASU 2016-13 is to provide financial statement users with more decision-useful information about the expected credit losses on financial instruments and other commitments to extend credit held by a reporting entity at each reporting date. To achieve this objective, the amendments in ASU 2016-13 replace the incurred loss impairment methodology in current U.S. GAAP with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to form credit loss estimates. ASU 2016-13 is effective for "smaller reporting companies" (as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission) for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those years, and must be adopted under a modified retrospective method approach. The Company intends to adopt ASU 2016-13 effective January 1, 2023 and is currently evaluating the provisions of this guidance and assessing the impact on its financial statements and disclosures. The Company does not believe this standard will have a material impact on its financial statements and disclosures.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments	The carrying amounts of financial instruments, including cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses, approximate fair value due to the short maturity of these instruments.

Basis of Presentation (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements of ADES are unaudited and have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("U.S. GAAP") and with Article 10 of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission. In compliance with those instructions, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in annual consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted.

The unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements of ADES in this quarterly report ("Quarterly Report") are presented on a consolidated basis and include ADES and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively, the "Company"). Also included within the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements are the Company's unconsolidated equity investments: Tinuum Group and Tinuum Services, which are accounted for under the equity method of accounting, and Highview Enterprises Limited (the "Highview Investment"), which is accounted for in accordance with U.S. GAAP applicable to equity investments that do not qualify for the equity method of accounting.

Results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the entire year. All significant intercompany transactions and accounts were eliminated in consolidation for all periods presented in this Quarterly Report.

In the opinion of management, these Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include all normal and recurring adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations, financial position, stockholders' equity and cash flows for the interim periods presented. These Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 (the "2021 Form 10-K").

Earnings (Loss) Per Share

Basic earnings (loss) per share is computed using the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding duringthe reporting period. Diluted earnings (loss) per share is computed in a manner consistent with that of basic earnings per share, while considering other potentially dilutive securities. For the three months ended March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2021, potentially dilutive securities consist of unvested restricted stock awards ("RSA's") and contingent performance stock units ("PSU's").

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. There have been no changes in the Company’s critical accounting estimates from those that were disclosed in the 2021 Form 10-K. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Risks and Uncertainties

will continue to have a material adverse impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows. For 2022, the Company is solely dependent on operations of its APT business and its cash and cash equivalents on hand to provide liquidity over the near and long term. The Company's revenues, sales volumes, earnings and cash flows are significantly affected by prices of competing power generation sources such as natural gas and renewable energy. During periods of low natural gas prices, natural gas provides a competitive alternative to coal-fired power generation and therefore, coal consumption may be reduced, which in turn reduces the demand for the Company's products. However, during periods of higher prices for competing power generation sources, there is an increase in coal consumption and thus demand for the Company's products also increases. In addition, coal consumption and demand for the Company's products are affected by the demand for electricity, which is higher in the warmer and colder months of the year. Abnormal temperatures during the summer and winter months may significantly affect coal consumption and impurities within various municipalities' water sources, and thus impact the demand for the Company's products.The Company's financial instruments that are exposed to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents. The Company holds cash and cash equivalents at two financial institutions as of March 31, 2022. If an institution was unable to perform its obligations, the Company would be at risk regarding the amount of cash and investments in excess of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation limits (currently $250 thousand) that would be returned to the Company.

Reclassifications

Certain balances have been reclassified from the prior year to conform to the current year presentation. Such reclassifications had no effect on the Company’s results of operations or financial position in any of the periods presented.

Segments

Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise about which separate financial information is available that is evaluated regularly by a company's chief operating decision maker ("CODM"), or a decision-making group, in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing financial performance. As of March 31, 2022, the Company's CODM was the Company's Chief Executive Officer, and the Company concluded that it has one reportable segment, Advanced Purification Technologies ("APT").

Given the wind-down of Tinuum Group and Tinuum Services and the impact on the Company's financial statements, the Company determined the historical RC segment no longer met the qualitative or quantitative criteria to be considered a reporting segment under U.S. GAAP. As a result, including the method in which the CODM allocates resources, beginning January 1, 2022, the Company determined that it had one reportable segment, and therefore has removed its segment disclosures for this Quarterly Report.

New Accounting Standards

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326) Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments ("ASU 2016-13"). The main objective of ASU 2016-13 is to provide financial statement users with more decision-useful information about the expected credit losses on financial instruments and other commitments to extend credit held by a reporting entity at each reporting date. To achieve this objective, the amendments in ASU 2016-13 replace the incurred loss impairment methodology in current U.S. GAAP with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to form credit loss estimates. ASU 2016-13 is effective for "smaller reporting companies" (as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission) for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those years, and must be adopted under a modified retrospective method approach. The Company intends to adopt ASU 2016-13 effective January 1, 2023 and is currently evaluating the provisions of this guidance and assessing the impact on its financial statements and disclosures. The Company does not believe this standard will have a material impact on its financial statements and disclosures.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The carrying amounts of financial instruments, including cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses, approximate fair value due to the short maturity of these instruments.