NCA (Nickel Cobalt Aluminium)
A lithium-ion cathode chemistry with the formula LiNiCoAlO₂, typically around 80% nickel, 15% cobalt, and 5% aluminium. NCA offers high energy density and the aluminium content improves thermal stability compared to purely nickel-based cathodes.
In energy storage
NCA is rarely used in utility-scale stationary BESS — its high energy density is optimised for weight-sensitive applications like electric vehicles rather than grid storage where cycle life and cost per cycle are the priority. Where NCA cells do appear in stationary applications, they require more stringent thermal management and tighter SoC operating windows than LFP.