| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| Traded as | NASDAQ: ENER |
| Industry | Alternative energy |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder(s) | Stanford R. Ovshinsky |
| Headquarters | Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA |
| Revenue | US$316 million (FY 2009)[1] |
| Operating income | US$28.2 million (FY 2009)[1] |
| Net income | US$12.5 Million (FY 2009)[1] |
| Total assets | US$1.07 billion (FY 2009)[2] |
| Total equity | US$662 million (FY 2009)[2] |
| Website | http://www.energyconversiondevices.com/ |
Energy Conversion Devices (NASDAQ: ENER) is headquartered in Rochester Hills, Michigan.
United Solar Ovonic, LLC (also called Uni-Solar) is its wholly owned subsidiary located in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Ovonics (coined from "Ovshinsky" and "electronics") is a field of electronics that uses materials able to change from an electrically nonconducting state to a semiconducting state shown by glass of special composition upon application of a certain minimum voltage. The most important example is phase change memory.
Scientist-entrepreneur Stanford R. Ovshinsky pioneered the field and coined the term after he founded Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD) in 1960 to further his research in amorphous semiconductors. ECD Ovonics works to create non-polluting, non-climate-changing energy sources.
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ECD Ovonics is divided into three parts, and has full or partial ownership of several other companies.[3]
The United Solar Ovonic Corporation is the world's largest (2008) manufacturer of photovoltaic laminates. In the broader category of thin film solar cells, as of 2007 the company was the second-largest U.S. manufacturer, after First Solar.[4] The solar cells are made of 11 triple junction amorphous silicon solar cells connected in series and have 6–7% in conversion efficiency.[5] The laminate encapsulation material is durable ETFE high light-transmissive polymer. The laminates are sold under the trademark "UNI-SOLAR".
Manufacturing and global headquarters are in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
Much of the production is sold to manufacturers and suppliers of building envelope elements, such as metal roofs (Rheinzink, Corus "Kalzip") or polymer roof membranes (Alwitra, Solar Integrated technologies).[6]
Ovonic NiMH batteries were used in the 1998 Chevrolet S-10 EV and the 1999 General Motors EV1, as well as many other hybrid vehicles in production today.
In 1994, General Motors acquired a controlling interest in Ovonics's battery development and manufacturing, including patents controlling the manufacturing of large nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries. On October 10, 2001, Texaco purchased General Motors' share in GM Ovonics, and Chevron completed its acquisition of Texaco six days later. In 2003, Texaco Ovonics Battery Systems was restructured into Cobasys, a 50/50 joint venture between Chevron and Energy Conversion Devices (ECD) Ovonics.[7]
In her book, Plug-in Hybrids: The Cars that Will Recharge America, published in February 2007, Sherry Boschert argues that large-format NiMH batteries are commercially viable but that Cobasys refuses to sell or license them to small companies or individuals. Boschert reveals that Cobasys accepts only very large orders for these batteries. When Boschert conducted her research, major auto makers showed little interest in NiMH batteries. Since no other companies were capable of producing large orders, Cobasys was not manufacturing any NiMH batteries for automotive purposes.[8]
In December 2006, Cobasys and General Motors announced that they had signed a contract under which Cobasys would provide NiMH batteries for the Saturn Aura hybrid sedan.[9] Although announced, the car was later scrapped and Saturn has been shut down. In March 2007, General Motors announced that it would use Cobasys NiMH batteries in the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu hybrid as well. Cobasys remains unwilling to produce and sell NiMH batteries in smaller quantities to individuals interested in building or retrofitting their own plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). In 2009 Mercedes had planned to release an ML450 hybrid SUV in the United States, but Chevron, the parent company, pulled funding from Cobasys and the batteries were not delivered.[10] On July 14, 2009 Cobasys was bought by Samsung-Bosch.[11] Although mistaken as owning the intellectual property to the large NiMH battery packs, according to CEO Tom Neslage they merely have an exclusive licensing deal with Chevron.[12]