Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Stock-based compensation - Stock Option Activity (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Stock-based compensation - Stock Option Activity (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2013
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2014
Exercise Price Per Share [Abstract]          
Exercise Price Per Share, Expired (per share) $ 0.00tcgn_ShareBasedCompensationShareAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExpiredExercisePrice        
Tecogen          
Stock Options Outstanding [Roll Forward]          
Beginning (shares) 1,356,325us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
       
Granted (shares) 0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
       
Exercised (shares) (222,375)us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
       
Canceled and forfeited (shares) (13,150)tcgn_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsCancellationsAndForfeituresInPeriod
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
       
Expired (shares) 0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExpirationsInPeriod
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
       
Ending (shares) 1,120,800us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
       
Exercisable (shares) 759,144us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableNumber
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
       
Vested and expected to vest (shares) 1,120,800us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedAndExpectedToVestOutstandingNumber
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
       
Weighted Average Exercise Price [Roll Forward]          
Beginning (usd per share) $ 2.77us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
       
Granted (usd per share) $ 0.00us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
       
Exercised (usd per share) $ 1.62us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
       
Canceled and forfeited (usd per share) $ 3.15tcgn_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsCancellationsAndForfeituresInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
       
Expried (usd per share) $ 0.00us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExpirationsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
       
Ending (usd per share) $ 2.99us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
       
Exercisable (usd per share) $ 2.21us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
       
Vested and expected to vest (usd per share) $ 2.99us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedAndExpectedToVestOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
       
Weighted Average Remaining Life 6 years 2 months 13 days 5 years 1 month 12 days      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Additional Disclosures [Abstract]          
Outstanding, Aggregate Intrinsic Value $ 2,330,359us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
      $ 3,618,935us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Exercisable, Aggregate Intrinsic Value 2,171,496us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
       
Vested and expected to vest, Aggregate Intrinsic Value $ 2,330,359us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedAndExpectedToVestOutstandingAggregateIntrinsicValue
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
       
Minimum | Tecogen          
Exercise Price Per Share [Abstract]          
Exercise Price Per Share, Beginning (per share)     $ 1.2us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
$ 1.20us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
 
Exercise Price Per Share, Granted (per share) $ 1.20tcgn_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansGrantedExercisePrice
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
       
Exercise Price Per Share, Cancelled and forfeited (per share)       $ 2.6tcgn_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansCancelledAndForfeitedExercisePrice
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
 
Exercise Price Per Share, Ending (per share)     $ 1.2us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
$ 1.20us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
 
Maximum | Tecogen          
Exercise Price Per Share [Abstract]          
Exercise Price Per Share, Beginning (per share)     $ 5.39us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
$ 5.39us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
 
Exercise Price Per Share, Granted (per share) $ 2.60tcgn_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansGrantedExercisePrice
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
       
Exercise Price Per Share, Cancelled and forfeited (per share)       $ 4.50tcgn_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansCancelledAndForfeitedExercisePrice
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
 
Exercise Price Per Share, Ending (per share)     $ 5.39us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
$ 5.39us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember