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Noncontrolling interests - Narrative (Details) (USD $)
Share data in Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified |
9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Sep. 30, 2013
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Sep. 30, 2012
|
Dec. 31, 2012
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Dec. 31, 2011
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Dec. 31, 2010
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Sep. 30, 2013
Ilios
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Dec. 31, 2012
Ilios
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Dec. 31, 2011
Ilios
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Dec. 31, 2010
Ilios
|
Dec. 31, 2012
Ilios
Private placement to accredited investors
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Jul. 24, 2009
Ilios
Private placement to accredited investors
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Dec. 31, 2012
Ilios
Private placement to Tecogen
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Dec. 31, 2011
Ilios
Private placement to Tecogen
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Dec. 28, 2012
Ilios
Private placement to Tecogen
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Dec. 29, 2011
Ilios
Private placement to Tecogen
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Jun. 03, 2011
Ilios
Private placement to Tecogen
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|
| Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] | ||||||||||||||||
| The Companys ownership percentage in subsidiary | 65.00% | 65.00% | 65.00% | 67.40% | 63.00% | |||||||||||
| Subsidiary cumulative number of shares sold | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.5 | |||||||||||||
| Subsidiary sale of stock, price in usd per share | $ 0.50 | $ 0.50 | $ 0.50 | $ 0.50 | $ 0.50 | $ 0.50 | $ 0.50 | |||||||||
| Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Change Due to Net Income Attributable to Parent and Effects of Changes, Net [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||
| Net loss attributable to Tecogen Inc. | $ (3,338,552) | $ (1,509,891) | $ (1,636,957) | $ (1,574,501) | $ (355,308) | |||||||||||
| Transfers (to) from the noncontrolling interest | ||||||||||||||||
| Decrease in Tecogen’s paid-in capital for purchase of 1,000,000 and 1,500,000 Ilios common shares in 2012 and 2011, respectively | (174,958) | (261,174) | ||||||||||||||
| Increase in Tecogen’s paid-in capital upon the sale of 1,000,000 Ilios common shares | 0 | 289,605 | 289,606 | |||||||||||||
| Net transfers to noncontrolling interest | 0 | 289,605 | 114,648 | (261,174) | 0 | |||||||||||
| Change from net loss attributable to Tecogen Inc. and transfers to noncontrolling interest | (3,338,552) | (1,220,286) | (1,522,309) | (1,835,675) | (355,308) | |||||||||||
| Subsidiary aggregate proceeds from stock transactions | $ 500,000 | $ 500,000 | $ 750,000 | |||||||||||||