Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Stock-Based Compensation (Details 2)

v2.4.1.9
Stock-Based Compensation (Details 2)
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 3 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Mar. 31, 2008
Jun. 30, 2014
Sep. 30, 2012
Jun. 30, 2011
Mar. 31, 2014
Stock options                
Stockholders' equity                
Options outstanding (in shares) 13,307,675us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
  13,307,675us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
        12,851,688us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
Options granted (in shares) 0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
1,085,800us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
         
Portion vesting one year after the issuance date (as a percent)     25.00%cpst_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingRightsPercentageOneYearAfterIssuance
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
         
Portion vesting on first day of each month after one year from the issuance date (as a percent)     2.083%cpst_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingRightsPercentageVestingOnFirstDayOfEachMonthAfterOneYearOfIssuanceDate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
         
Vesting period of awards after issuance date     1 year          
Vesting period after one year of grant     48 months          
Contractual term     10 years          
Restricted stock units                
Stockholders' equity                
Granted (in shares)     919,666us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
         
Restricted stock units outstanding (in shares) 2,121,015us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
  2,121,015us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
        2,061,224us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
Vesting period     4 years          
Restricted stock units | Vice President of Operations and Senior vice president of customer service                
Stockholders' equity                
Restricted stock units outstanding (in shares) 93,750us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
/ us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
= cpst_VicePresidentOfOperationsAndSeniorVicePresidentOfCustomerServiceMember
  93,750us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
/ us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
= cpst_VicePresidentOfOperationsAndSeniorVicePresidentOfCustomerServiceMember
         
Restricted stock units | Vice President of Operations                
Stockholders' equity                
Restricted stock units outstanding (in shares) 62,500us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
/ us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
= cpst_VicePresidentOfOperationsMember
  62,500us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
/ us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
= cpst_VicePresidentOfOperationsMember
         
Restricted stock units | Senior vice president of customer service                
Stockholders' equity                
Restricted stock units outstanding (in shares) 31,250us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
/ us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
= cpst_SeniorVicePresidentOfCustomerServiceMember
  31,250us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
/ us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
= cpst_SeniorVicePresidentOfCustomerServiceMember
         
1993 Incentive Stock Plan and 2000 Equity Incentive Plan                
Stockholders' equity                
Number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance 27,980,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= cpst_CapstoneTurbineCorporation1993IncentiveStockPlanAnd2000EquityIncentivePlanMember
  27,980,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= cpst_CapstoneTurbineCorporation1993IncentiveStockPlanAnd2000EquityIncentivePlanMember
         
Non-qualified stock options                
Stockholders' equity                
Options outstanding (in shares) 3,800,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= cpst_NonqualifiedStockOptionsPlanMember
  3,800,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= cpst_NonqualifiedStockOptionsPlanMember
         
Non-qualified stock options | Non-qualified stock options issued prior to Fiscal 2008                
Stockholders' equity                
Options granted (in shares)       3,050,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= cpst_OptionsGrantedPriorToFiscal2008Member
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= cpst_NonqualifiedStockOptionsPlanMember
       
Non-qualified stock options | Stock options                
Stockholders' equity                
Options granted (in shares)         250,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= cpst_NonqualifiedStockOptionsPlanMember
250,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= cpst_NonqualifiedStockOptionsPlanMember
250,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= cpst_NonqualifiedStockOptionsPlanMember
 
Non-qualified stock options | Stock options | President and chief executive officer                
Stockholders' equity                
Options granted (in shares)     2,000,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= cpst_NonqualifiedStockOptionsPlanMember
/ us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
= cpst_ChiefExecutiveOfficerAndPresidentMember
         
Non-qualified stock options | Stock options | Executive vice president of sales and marketing                
Stockholders' equity                
Options granted (in shares)     850,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= cpst_NonqualifiedStockOptionsPlanMember
/ us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
= cpst_ExecutiveVicePresidentOfSalesAndMarketingMember
         
Non-qualified stock options | Stock options | Senior vice president of program management                
Stockholders' equity                
Options granted (in shares)     250,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= cpst_NonqualifiedStockOptionsPlanMember
/ us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
= cpst_SeniorVicePresidentOfProgramManagementMember
         
Non-qualified stock options | Stock options | Vice President of Operations                
Stockholders' equity                
Options granted (in shares)     250,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= cpst_NonqualifiedStockOptionsPlanMember
/ us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
= cpst_VicePresidentOfOperationsMember
         
Non-qualified stock options | Stock options | Senior vice president of customer service                
Stockholders' equity                
Options granted (in shares)     250,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= cpst_NonqualifiedStockOptionsPlanMember
/ us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
= cpst_SeniorVicePresidentOfCustomerServiceMember
         
Non-qualified stock options | Stock options | Senior vice president of human resources                
Stockholders' equity                
Options granted (in shares)     200,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= cpst_NonqualifiedStockOptionsPlanMember
/ us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
= cpst_SeniorVicePresidentOfHumanResourcesMember