<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000032878-12-000025
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20120216
<FILING-DATE>20120221
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20120221
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Frey Robert I
<CIK>0001288608
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-08403
<FILM-NUMBER>12627478
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O ENERGY CONVERSION DEVICES, INC.
<STREET2>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>X0304</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-02-16</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001288608</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Frey Robert I</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>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-02-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4820</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.2727</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>30693</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 27,287 shares of deferred stock units (DSUs) and 1,912 shares of restricted stock awards (RSAs).  The DSUs and RSAs will be paid out as common stock on a one-for-one basis upon the termination of the reporting person's status as a director of ECD.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Ghazaleh Koefod  For: Robert I Frey</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-02-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
