                                                        Exhibit 99.1

                     ECD OVONICS' BATTERY SUBSIDIARY GRANTS
                        PATENT LICENSE TO SUPPO OF CHINA

Rochester Hills, Mich., May 19, 2005 -- Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD
Ovonics) (NASDAQ:ENER) announced today that its subsidiary, Ovonic Battery
Company, Inc. (Ovonic Battery), has entered into a patent license agreement in
connection with its proprietary nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery technology
with Union Suppo Battery Co., Ltd. (Suppo) of the People's Republic of China.
Under the consumer battery license grant, Suppo has a royalty-bearing,
nonexclusive right to make, use and sell consumer NiMH batteries for
nonpropulsion applications.

In a joint statement, Robert C. Stempel, Chairman and CEO of ECD Ovonics and
Chairman of Ovonic Battery, and Stanford R. Ovshinsky, President and CTO of ECD
Ovonics and CEO of Ovonic Battery, said, "It is gratifying to see companies from
the People's Republic of China following the Chinese official policy of
utilizing science and technology as a basis for their continued economic growth,
and joining the rest of the significant manufacturers of nickel metal hydride
batteries who are our licensees. We are pleased to be working with Suppo, one of
China's more established NiMH manufacturers. We have been impressed by the
quality of Suppo's products, and we look forward to our technical cooperation."

Dr. Liu Guozhong, Suppo's President, said, "We respect the Ovonic patents and
technology, and we expect that access to Ovonic advanced materials and
scientists will improve the performance of Suppo NiMH products."

About ECD Ovonics
ECD Ovonics is the leader in the synthesis of new materials and the development
of advanced production technology and innovative products. It has pioneered and
developed enabling technologies leading to new products and production processes

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based on amorphous, disordered and related materials, with an emphasis on
advanced information technologies and alternative energy, including
photovoltaics, fuel cells, consumer hydride batteries and hydride storage
materials capable of storing hydrogen in the solid state for use as a feedstock
for fuel cells or internal combustion engines or as an enhancement or
replacement for any type of hydrocarbon fuel. ECD Ovonics designs and builds
manufacturing machinery that incorporates its proprietary production processes,
maintains ongoing research and development programs to continually improve its
products, and develops new applications for its technologies. ECD Ovonics holds
the basic patents in its fields. ECD Ovonics' website address is
http://www.ovonic.com.

About Suppo
Union Suppo Battery was established in 1994 and produces a large line of NiMH
products. Suppo's major plant is located in Shenyang, Liaoning. Suppo has over
500 employees, factory space of 18,000 square meters, and is unique within China
by producing their own metal hydride materials. With a production capacity of 4
million batteries per month, Suppo is presently selling mainly within the PRC,
but looking to export more significantly in the future. Suppo's website address
is http://www.suppo.com.

                                           # # #

This release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions which ECD Ovonics, as
of the date of this release, believes to be reasonable and appropriate. ECD
Ovonics cautions, however, that the actual facts and conditions that may exist
in the future could vary materially from the assumed facts and conditions upon
which such forward-looking statements are based.

Contacts:
Energy Conversion Devices                   Union Suppo Battery Co., Ltd.
Ghazaleh Koefod, Investor Relations         sales@suppo.com
Dick Thompson, Media Relations
248-293-0440
