Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

12. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Details-Level 3)

v2.4.1.9
12. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Details-Level 3) (Level 3 [Member], USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Warrant
      
Changes in the fair value of the Company's Level 3 inputs      
Beginning Balance $ 8,215us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationsRecurringBasisLiabilityValue
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_WarrantMember 		$ 4,892us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationsRecurringBasisLiabilityValue
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_WarrantMember 		$ 1,921us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationsRecurringBasisLiabilityValue
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_WarrantMember
Adjustments to fair value for the period 35,260us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisLiabilityPeriodIncreaseDecrease
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_WarrantMember 		(646)us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisLiabilityPeriodIncreaseDecrease
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_WarrantMember 		(1,954)us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisLiabilityPeriodIncreaseDecrease
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_WarrantMember
Ending Balance 1,986us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationsRecurringBasisLiabilityValue
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_WarrantMember 		8,215us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationsRecurringBasisLiabilityValue
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_WarrantMember 		4,892us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationsRecurringBasisLiabilityValue
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_WarrantMember
Warrant | Exercises of Warrants [Member]
      
Changes in the fair value of the Company's Level 3 inputs      
Transfers out (41,486)us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationLiabilityTransfersOutOfLevel3
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis
= peix_ExercisesOfWarrantsMember
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_WarrantMember 		(260)us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationLiabilityTransfersOutOfLevel3
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis
= peix_ExercisesOfWarrantsMember
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_WarrantMember 		(113)us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationLiabilityTransfersOutOfLevel3
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis
= peix_ExercisesOfWarrantsMember
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_WarrantMember
Warrant | Expiration of Warrants [Member]
      
Changes in the fair value of the Company's Level 3 inputs      
Transfers out (3)us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationLiabilityTransfersOutOfLevel3
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis
= peix_ExpirationOfWarrantsMember
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_WarrantMember 		   
Warrant | Issuance In January [Member]
      
Changes in the fair value of the Company's Level 3 inputs      
Issuances   2,657us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisLiabilityIssues
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis
= peix_IssuanceInJanuaryMember
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_WarrantMember 		 
Warrant | Issuance In March [Member]
      
Changes in the fair value of the Company's Level 3 inputs      
Issuances   1,572us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisLiabilityIssues
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis
= peix_IssuanceInMarchMember
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_WarrantMember 		 
Warrant | Issuance In June [Member]
      
Changes in the fair value of the Company's Level 3 inputs      
Issuances   0us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisLiabilityIssues
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis
= peix_IssuanceInJuneMember
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_WarrantMember 		 
Warrant | Conversions of Notes [Member]
      
Changes in the fair value of the Company's Level 3 inputs      
Transfers out   0us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationLiabilityTransfersOutOfLevel3
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis
= peix_ConversionOfNotesMember
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_WarrantMember 		 
Warrant | Issuance of warrants in July offering [Member]
      
Changes in the fair value of the Company's Level 3 inputs      
Issuances     3,380us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisLiabilityIssues
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis
= peix_IssuanceOfWarrantsJulyOfferingMember
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_WarrantMember
Warrant | Issuance of warrants in September offering
      
Changes in the fair value of the Company's Level 3 inputs      
Issuances     1,658us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisLiabilityIssues
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis
= peix_IssuanceOfWarrantsSeptemberOfferingMember
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_WarrantMember
Conversion Features [Member]
      
Changes in the fair value of the Company's Level 3 inputs      
Adjustments to fair value for the period   875us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisLiabilityPeriodIncreaseDecrease
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= peix_ConversionFeatureMember 		 
Ending Balance        
Conversion Features [Member] | Exercises of Warrants [Member]
      
Changes in the fair value of the Company's Level 3 inputs      
Transfers out   0us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationLiabilityTransfersOutOfLevel3
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis
= peix_ExercisesOfWarrantsMember
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= peix_ConversionFeatureMember 		 
Conversion Features [Member] | Issuance In March [Member]
      
Changes in the fair value of the Company's Level 3 inputs      
Issuances   1,401us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisLiabilityIssues
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis
= peix_IssuanceInMarchMember
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= peix_ConversionFeatureMember 		 
Conversion Features [Member] | Issuance In June [Member]
      
Changes in the fair value of the Company's Level 3 inputs      
Issuances   2,929us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisLiabilityIssues
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis
= peix_IssuanceInJuneMember
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= peix_ConversionFeatureMember 		 
Conversion Features [Member] | Conversions of Notes [Member]
      
Changes in the fair value of the Company's Level 3 inputs      
Transfers out   $ (5,205)us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationLiabilityTransfersOutOfLevel3
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis
= peix_ConversionOfNotesMember
/ us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis
= peix_ConversionFeatureMember