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Noncontrolling interests (Details) (USD $)
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12 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Dec. 31, 2013
|
Dec. 31, 2012
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Dec. 31, 2012
Ilios
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Dec. 31, 2013
Ilios
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Dec. 31, 2011
Ilios
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Dec. 31, 2012
Ilios
Private placement to accredited investors
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Dec. 31, 2013
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, 2013
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 Company's ownership percentage in subsidiary | 67.40% | 65.00% | 63.00% | ||||||||||
| Subsidiary cumulative number of shares sold | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | ||||||||||
| Subsidiary sale of stock, price in usd per share | $ 0.50 | $ 0.50 | $ 0.50 | $ 0.50 | $ 0.50 | $ 0.50 | $ 0.50 | ||||||
| Subsidiary aggregate proceeds from stock transactions | $ 750,000 | $ 500,000 | $ 500,000 | ||||||||||
| 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. | (3,449,489) | (1,636,957) | |||||||||||
| Transfers (to) from the noncontrolling interest | |||||||||||||
| Decrease in Tecogen's paid-in capital for purchase of 1,000,000 Ilios common shares | 0 | (174,958) | |||||||||||
| Increase in Tecogen's paid-in capital upon the sale of 1,000,000 Ilios common shares | 0 | 289,606 | |||||||||||
| Net transfers to noncontrolling interest | 0 | 114,648 | |||||||||||
| Change from net loss attributable to Tecogen Inc. and transfers to noncontrolling interest | $ (3,449,489) | $ (1,522,309) | |||||||||||