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Debt (Narrative - Agribusiness Segment, Marketing And Distribution Segment, Corporate Activities, Capitalized Interest, And Restricted Net Assets) (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
Feb. 28, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt instrument amount       $ 22,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount  
Percentage Of Net Income Added To Base Net Worth Compliance Limit 50.00%gpre_PercentageOfNetIncomeAddedToBaseNetWorthComplianceLimit        
Value of common stock issued for conversion of 5.75% notes 89,950,000us-gaap_DebtConversionConvertedInstrumentAmount1        
Green Plains Grain [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Working capital 23,000,000gpre_MinimumWorkingCapitalRequiredForCompliance
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsGrainMember
       
Net worth 26,300,000us-gaap_MinimumNetWorthRequiredForCompliance
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsGrainMember
       
Fixed charge coverage ratio 1.25gpre_FixedChargeCoverageRatio
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsGrainMember
       
Annual Leverage Ratio 6.00        
Annual capital expenditures 15,000,000gpre_AnnualCapitalExpendituresMaximum
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsGrainMember
       
Green Plains Cattle [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Additional amounts available under facility 50,000,000gpre_DebtInstrumentCreditFacilityAmountsAvailableAccordionFeature
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsCattleMember
       
Line of credit, maximum borrowing capacity 100,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsCattleMember
       
Interest rate added to LIBOR or lender's commercial floating rate 2.50%us-gaap_LoansReceivableBasisSpreadOnVariableRate
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsCattleMember
       
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity 100,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsCattleMember
       
Working capital 15,000,000gpre_MinimumWorkingCapitalRequiredForCompliance
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsCattleMember
       
Net worth 20,000,000us-gaap_MinimumNetWorthRequiredForCompliance
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsCattleMember
       
Annual Leverage Ratio 3.50        
Annual capital expenditures 3,000,000gpre_AnnualCapitalExpendituresMaximum
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsCattleMember
       
Green Plains Cattle [Member] | Maximum [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest rate added to LIBOR or lender's commercial floating rate 3.00%us-gaap_LoansReceivableBasisSpreadOnVariableRate
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsCattleMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
       
Green Plains Cattle [Member] | Minimum [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest rate added to LIBOR or lender's commercial floating rate 2.00%us-gaap_LoansReceivableBasisSpreadOnVariableRate
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsCattleMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
       
Green Plains Cattle [Member] | Previous Debt Facility [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Line of credit, maximum borrowing capacity 15,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsCattleMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_PreviousDebtFacilityMember
       
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity 15,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsCattleMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_PreviousDebtFacilityMember
       
Agribusiness Segment [Member] | Seasonal Borrowings [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Line of credit, maximum borrowing capacity 50,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_SeasonalBorrowingsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_AgribusinessSegmentMember
       
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity 50,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_SeasonalBorrowingsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_AgribusinessSegmentMember
       
Agribusiness Segment [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Allowable Dividends As Percentage Of Net Profit Before Tax 40.00%gpre_AllowableDividendsAsPercentageOfNetProfitBeforeTax
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_AgribusinessSegmentMember
       
Debt instrument amount 125,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_AgribusinessSegmentMember
       
Additional amounts available under facility 75,000,000gpre_DebtInstrumentCreditFacilityAmountsAvailableAccordionFeature
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_AgribusinessSegmentMember
       
Line of credit, maximum borrowing capacity 250,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_AgribusinessSegmentMember
       
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity 250,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_AgribusinessSegmentMember
       
Marketing And Distribution Segment [Member] | Green Plains Trade [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Undrawn Availability of Revolving Credit Facility On A ProForma Basis 10,000,000gpre_UndrawnAvailabilityOfRevolvingCreditFacilityOnProformaBasis
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsTradeMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_MarketingAndDistributionSegmentMember
       
Allowable Dividends As Percentage Of Net Profit Before Tax 50.00%gpre_AllowableDividendsAsPercentageOfNetProfitBeforeTax
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsTradeMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_MarketingAndDistributionSegmentMember
       
Debt instrument amount 150,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsTradeMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_MarketingAndDistributionSegmentMember
       
Restricted cash 22,900,000us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsTradeMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_MarketingAndDistributionSegmentMember
       
Fixed charge coverage ratio 1.15gpre_FixedChargeCoverageRatio
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsTradeMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_MarketingAndDistributionSegmentMember
       
Annual capital expenditures 1,000,000gpre_AnnualCapitalExpendituresMaximum
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsTradeMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_MarketingAndDistributionSegmentMember
       
Marketing And Distribution Segment [Member] | Green Plains Trade [Member] | Previous Debt Facility [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt instrument amount 130,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_GreenPlainsTradeMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_PreviousDebtFacilityMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_MarketingAndDistributionSegmentMember
       
Marketing And Distribution Segment [Member] | BlendStar LLC [member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Anticipated Tax Credits 5,000,000gpre_AnticipatedTaxCredits
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_BlendstarLlcMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_MarketingAndDistributionSegmentMember
       
Statutory Life In Years 7 years        
Principal payments (plus interest) 200,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentPeriodicPayment
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_BlendstarLlcMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_MarketingAndDistributionSegmentMember
       
Debt instrument stated percentage 1.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_BlendstarLlcMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_MarketingAndDistributionSegmentMember
       
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable, Net, Noncurrent 8,100,000us-gaap_LongTermAccountsNotesAndLoansReceivableNetNoncurrent
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_BlendstarLlcMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_MarketingAndDistributionSegmentMember
       
Marketing And Distribution Segment [Member] | BlendStar LLC [member] | Note Payable [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt instrument amount 10,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gpre_BlendstarLlcMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_NotesPayableOtherPayablesMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_MarketingAndDistributionSegmentMember
       
Corporate Activities [Member] | 3.25% Convertible Senior Notes [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt Issuance Costs Assigned To Liability 4,000,000gpre_DebtIssuanceCostsAssignedToLiability
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_ConvertibleSeniorNotes325Member
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CorporateActivitiesMember
       
Convertible Debt Cross Default Threshold 10,000,000gpre_ConvertibleDebtCrossDefaultThreshold
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_ConvertibleSeniorNotes325Member
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CorporateActivitiesMember
       
Debt instrument, interest rate, effective percentage 8.21%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_ConvertibleSeniorNotes325Member
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CorporateActivitiesMember
       
Debt instrument amount 120,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_ConvertibleSeniorNotes325Member
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CorporateActivitiesMember
       
Debt instrument stated percentage 3.25%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_ConvertibleSeniorNotes325Member
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CorporateActivitiesMember
       
Debt conversion amount 1,000us-gaap_DebtConversionOriginalDebtAmount1
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_ConvertibleSeniorNotes325Member
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CorporateActivitiesMember
       
Debt conversion price $ 20.81us-gaap_DebtInstrumentConvertibleConversionPrice1
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_ConvertibleSeniorNotes325Member
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CorporateActivitiesMember
       
Conversion price percentage 140.00%gpre_DebtInstrumentApplicableConversionPricePercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_ConvertibleSeniorNotes325Member
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CorporateActivitiesMember
       
Principal amount of notes, percentage 100.00%gpre_ConvertibleDebtPrincipalAmountOfNotesPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_ConvertibleSeniorNotes325Member
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CorporateActivitiesMember
       
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage 8.21%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_ConvertibleSeniorNotes325Member
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CorporateActivitiesMember
       
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount 24,500,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_ConvertibleSeniorNotes325Member
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CorporateActivitiesMember
       
Debt Issuance Cost 5,100,000us-gaap_DebtIssuanceCosts
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_ConvertibleSeniorNotes325Member
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CorporateActivitiesMember
       
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Cash Paid $ 0.04us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareCashPaid
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_ConvertibleSeniorNotes325Member
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CorporateActivitiesMember
       
Shares of common stock issued for conversion of 5.75% Notes 48.0607us-gaap_DebtConversionConvertedInstrumentSharesIssued1
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_ConvertibleSeniorNotes325Member
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CorporateActivitiesMember
       
Corporate Activities [Member] | 5.75% Convertible Senior Notes [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt instrument amount 90,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_FivePointSevenFivePercentageConvertibleSeniorNotesMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CorporateActivitiesMember
       
Debt instrument stated percentage 5.75%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_FivePointSevenFivePercentageConvertibleSeniorNotesMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CorporateActivitiesMember
       
Debt conversion rate shares   72.6961us-gaap_DebtInstrumentConvertibleConversionRatio1
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_FivePointSevenFivePercentageConvertibleSeniorNotesMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CorporateActivitiesMember
72.5846us-gaap_DebtInstrumentConvertibleConversionRatio1
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_FivePointSevenFivePercentageConvertibleSeniorNotesMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CorporateActivitiesMember
   
Debt conversion amount 1,000us-gaap_DebtConversionOriginalDebtAmount1
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_FivePointSevenFivePercentageConvertibleSeniorNotesMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CorporateActivitiesMember
       
Value of common stock issued for conversion of 5.75% notes 89,950,000us-gaap_DebtConversionConvertedInstrumentAmount1
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_FivePointSevenFivePercentageConvertibleSeniorNotesMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CorporateActivitiesMember
       
Shares of common stock issued for conversion of 5.75% Notes 6,532,713us-gaap_DebtConversionConvertedInstrumentSharesIssued1
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gpre_FivePointSevenFivePercentageConvertibleSeniorNotesMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CorporateActivitiesMember
       
Capitalized Interest [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Capitalized interest 191,000us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CapitalizedInterestMember
    0us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CapitalizedInterestMember
285,000us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_CapitalizedInterestMember
Restricted Net Assets [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Restricted assets $ 681,400,000us-gaap_AmountOfRestrictedNetAssetsForConsolidatedAndUnconsolidatedSubsidiaries
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gpre_RestrictedNetAssetsMember