CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY - USD ($)
Total
Common shares [Member]
Treasury stock [Member]
Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit) [Member]
Accumulated other comprehensive income [Member]
Equity (Deficit) attributable to ReneSola Ltd [Member]
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014 $ 135,156,319 $ 476,765,888 $ 0 $ 7,512,174 $ (430,201,775) $ 81,080,032 $ 135,156,319
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014   204,846,064          
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity              
Net income/(loss) (5,075,122) $ 0 0 0 (5,075,122) 0 (5,075,122)
Release of translation difference due to disposal of discontinued operation 0            
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax (19,503,275) 0 0 0 0 (19,503,275) (19,503,275)
Share-based compensation 1,527,494 0 0 1,527,494 0 0 1,527,494
Share exercised by employee 640,680 $ 2,010,998 0 (1,370,318) 0 0 640,680
Share exercised by employee (in shares)   100,000          
Repurchase of common shares (812,184) $ 0 $ (812,184) 0 0 0 (812,184)
Repurchase of common shares (in shares)   0 1,614,776        
Cancellation of shares 0 $ (812,184) $ 812,184 0 0 0 0
Cancellation of shares (in shares)   (1,614,776) (1,614,776)        
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015 111,933,912 $ 477,964,702 $ 0 7,669,350 (435,276,897) 61,576,757 111,933,912
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015   203,331,288          
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity              
Net income/(loss) (34,698,251) $ 0 0 0 (34,698,251) 0 (34,698,251)
Release of translation difference due to disposal of discontinued operation 0            
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax (10,343,509) 0 0 0 0 (10,343,509) (10,343,509)
Share-based compensation 746,980 0 0 746,980 0 0 746,980
Share exercised by employee 0 $ 187,000 0 (187,000) 0 0 0
Share exercised by employee (in shares)   500,000          
Repurchase of common shares (1,493,352) $ 0 $ (1,493,352) 0 0 0 (1,493,352)
Repurchase of common shares (in shares)   0 2,804,286        
Cancellation of shares 0 $ (980,215) $ 980,215 0 0 0 0
Cancellation of shares (in shares)   (1,352,586) (1,352,586)        
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016 66,145,780 $ 477,171,487 $ (513,137) 8,229,330 (469,975,148) 51,233,248 66,145,780
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016   202,478,702 1,451,700        
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity              
Net income/(loss) 34,457,538 $ 0 $ 0 0 34,457,538 0 34,457,538
Release of translation difference due to disposal of discontinued operation (64,984,682) 0 0 0 0 (64,984,682) (64,984,682)
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax (53,471,466) 0 0 0 0 11,513,216 11,513,216
Issuance of ordinary shares in conjunction with disposal of discontinued operations $ 42,480,000 $ 42,480,000 $ 0 0 0 0 42,480,000
Issuance of ordinary shares in conjunction with disposal of discontinued operations (in shares) 180,000,000 180,000,000 0        
Share-based compensation $ 870,618 $ 0 $ 0 870,618 0 0 870,618
Share exercised by employee 0 $ 87,500 0 (87,500) 0 0 0
Share exercised by employee (in shares)   0          
Cancellation of shares $ 0 $ (513,137) $ 513,137 0 0 0 0
Cancellation of shares (in shares) (1,451,700) (1,451,700) (1,451,700)        
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017 $ 90,482,470 $ 519,225,850 $ 0 $ 9,012,448 $ (435,517,610) $ (2,238,218) $ 90,482,470
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017   381,027,002