Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Share-Based Compensation - Additional Information (Detail)

v2.4.0.8
Share-Based Compensation - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
 0 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Nov. 08, 2013
Employee
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Dec. 31, 2013
Before Amendment
Dec. 31, 2013
After Amendment
Oct. 11, 2013
Class A Common Stock
Dec. 31, 2011
Real Goods Solar
Dec. 31, 2013
Long Term Incentive Plan 2009
Dec. 31, 2013
Long Term Incentive Plan 2009
Class A Common Stock
Mar. 05, 2012
Long-Term Incentive Plan 1999
Employee
Dec. 31, 2009
Long-Term Incentive Plan 1999
Dec. 31, 2009
Long-Term Incentive Plan 1999
Maximum
Dec. 31, 2009
Long-Term Incentive Plan 1999
Minimum
Dec. 31, 2011
Long-Term Incentive Plan 1999
Class A Common Stock
Dec. 31, 2013
Long Term Incentive Plan, Two Thousand Nine and Nineteen Ninety Nine
Dec. 31, 2013
Stock Option
Dec. 31, 2009
Stock Option
Long-Term Incentive Plan 1999
Employee
Dec. 31, 2013
Non Employee Board Member Stock Options
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]                                      
Number of shares that may be issued                   3,000,000                  
Plan termination date                 Apr. 23, 2019                    
Rate at which options vest and become exercisable per month   2.00%                                  
Period over which options vest and become exercisable   50 months                                  
Compensation expense related to share-based payment awards                                 5 years   2 years
Granted Stock Options expiration date         7 years 10 years         2 years                
Number of former board members 3                                    
Incremental share-based compensation cost $ 100,000                                    
Granted Stock Options expiration date extended period                     2 years                
Number of employees                     7                
Total incremental share-based compensation cost                     100,000                
Number of employees award granted                                   49  
Revised exercise price per share                       $ 5.00              
Total incremental share-based compensation cost recognizable over 2009 through 2013                       200,000              
Total incremental share-based compensation cost recognizable, year                         2009 2013          
Cash from stock options exercised   800,000                                  
Issuance stock upon exercise of options     0                       15,200 160,470      
Weighted-average grant-date fair value of options granted   $ 3.14 $ 2.39 $ 2.32                              
Total intrinsic value of options exercised   100,000   100,000                              
Total fair value of shares vested   600,000 800,000 800,000                              
Restricted stock award agreements, number of shares issued             15,759                        
Restricted stock award agreements, estimated fair value of shares issued             100,000                        
Restricted stock award agreements, percentage vested             100.00%                        
Restricted stock award agreements, vesting date             Apr. 10, 2014                        
Share-based compensation expense   809,000 [1] 913,000 [2] 1,540,000       500,000                      
Income tax benefit recognized for share-based compensation   300,000 400,000 600,000                              
Unrecognized cost related to nonvested shared-based compensation                               $ 1,400,000      
Expected cost to be recognized over a weighted-average period                               3 years 9 months 11 days      
[1] Cash flows in 2013 include the $25.0 million gain from the sale of RSOL stock, the sale of GVE and the closure of the DRTV Business Unit.
[2] Net cash provided by operating activities for discontinued operations during 2012 includes approximately $18.7 million of net cash provided by purchased Vivendi Entertainment ("Vivendi") working capital, which was used to partially fund the acquisition of Vivendi. Excluding the net cash flows from the purchased Vivendi working capital, net cash used by operating activities for discontinued operations would have been zero during 2012.