ECD Ovonics Energy Business

Environmentally safe methods of generating and storing energy have become critical in today's world. Energy activities — specifically complete systems for energy generation, storage, and infrastructure — represent a major element of ECD Ovonics business. We develop and commercialize enabling technologies for use in the field of alternative energy by developing and commercializing new products and production technologies based on our proprietary Ovonic materials.

Ovonic Thin-Film Solar Technology
Building on the unique proprietary continuous web, multi-layer, thin-film amorphous silicon photovoltaics technology invented and pioneered by ECD Ovonics, United Solar Ovonics has become the world leader in thin-film amorphous photovoltaics (PV).

Its high-volume production equipment — built by ECD Ovonics’ Production Technology and Machine Building Division — is the world’s largest and most advanced machine for the manufacture of thin-film amorphous silicon alloy solar cells that are flexible, rugged and lightweight, enabling various lines of commercial and residential building-integrated solar products.

Ovonic® Nickel Metal Hydride Battery Technology
ECD Ovonics’ nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery technology — which started the hydrogen economy — offers the ideal solution for stationary applications and today's electric, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs), and vehicles with 36/42-volt electrical systems. Ovonic NiMH batteries have high power, long cycle life, are maintenance free, have no memory effect, and are capable of being made in a wide range of sizes for a wide range of applications.

ECD Ovonics’ majority owned subsidiary Ovonic Battery has developed the proprietary materials and the technology for NiMH batteries, which have been licensed to all significant NiMH battery manufacturers throughout the world.

Ovonic Solid Hydrogen Storage System Technology
One of the principal stumbling blocks to the use of hydrogen as a fuel has been the inability to store hydrogen safely and efficiently. The Ovonic solid hydrogen storage system technology enables safe, reliable ways to store and transport solid hydrogen for any hydrogen infrastructure and its applications.

Using a family of new efficient metal hydrides that are based upon ECD Ovonics’ proprietary atomically engineered materials technology — whereby hydrogen is stored in a solid metal matrix at low practical pressures — its wholly owned subsidiary, Ovonic Hydrogen Systems LLC, has developed a new, practical approach to store hydrogen in a safe and economical manner.

Ovonic® Metal Hydride Fuel Cell Technology
The fundamentally new approach of our Ovonic® metal hydride fuel cell technology, we believe, results in unique and favorable features such as the intrinsic ability to store energy in the fuel cell stack, instant-start capability, and excellent low-temperature performance.

ECD Ovonics is developing its fuel cell technology for commercial use in a full range of stationary, portable power and transportation applications, which can supply electricity as an alternative or supplement to electricity supplied through grid distribution or portable fossil-fuel-powered generators.