<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000032878-11-000019
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20110512
<FILING-DATE>20110513
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20110513
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Guha Subhendu
<CIK>0001358687
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-08403
<FILM-NUMBER>11837953
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2956 WATERVIEW DRIVE
<CITY>ROCHESTER HILLS
<STATE>MI
<ZIP>48309
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>ENERGY CONVERSION DEVICES INC
<CIK>0000032878
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3674
<IRS-NUMBER>381749884
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0630
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>3800 LAPEER ROAD
<CITY>AUBURN HILLS
<STATE>MI
<ZIP>48326
<PHONE>248-475-0100
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>3800 LAPEER ROAD
<CITY>AUBURN HILLS
<STATE>MI
<ZIP>48326
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>ENERGY CONVERSION LABORATORIES INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19710603
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgardoc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-05-12</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000032878</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ENERGY CONVERSION DEVICES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ENER</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001358687</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Guha Subhendu</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>3800 LAPEER ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>AUBURN HILLS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MI</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>48326</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Executive Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-05-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1540</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1.61</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>34810</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents shares of common stock withheld to pay withholding taxes upon vesting of shares of restricted stock originally granted to the reporting person on May 12, 2008.  The number of shares withheld was determined based on the closing price of common stock on May 12, 2011.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Ghazaleh Koefod  For: Subhendu Guha</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-05-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
