This paper is the first part of a two-part paper and presents the development, calibration and validation of a two-dimensional isothermal mechanistic model of a composite yttria/scandia-stabilized zirconia anode-supported multiple layers solid oxide fuel cell (Ni-YSZ vertical bar Ni-ScSZ vertical bar ScSZ vertical bar LSM-ScSZ). This model was developed to describe the intricate interdependency among the ionic conduction, electronic conduction, multi-component species transport, electrochemical reaction processes and electrode microstructure for intermediate temperatures operation between 750 and 850 degrees C. This model takes into account the fact that the electrochemical reactions take place throughout the electrodes and not only at the electrolyte/electrode boundaries. The model was calibrated using experimental polarization curves and then validated by comparing each cell component polarizations (anodic, cathodic and electrolyte) determined from the simulation and from specific experiments using a symmetric cell and EIS measurements. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.