Material and manufacturing alternatives for solid oxide fuel cells are listed and analyzed. Specifically, four categories of anode materials, five categories of cathode materials, four categories of electrolytes, and three categories of interconnect materials are presented. Design considerations including operating temperatures and compatibilities among stack materials are also highlighted. Similarly, stack manufacturing options are separated into seven categories and developed into process sequences based on the number and type of firing steps. This work is intended to facilitate material and manufacturing assessments through the consideration of the variety of alternatives prior to capital investment for wide-scale production. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.