Pyrolytic lignin can be transformed to liquid transportation fuels by hydrotreatment, which requires hydrogen (H-2). Bio-oil is a suitable renewable feedstock for H-2 production. Here, n-butanol was chosen as a model compound representing alcohols in the bio-oil aqueous fraction. H-2 production from steam reforming of n-butanol was investigated in a fixed-bed reactor using a commercial Ni/hydrotalcite catalyst. A plausible reaction pathway in the presence of Ni was discussed. An increase in reforming temperature, space time, and steam/carbon ratio in the feed enhanced the n-butanol conversion and H-2 yield. Reaction kinetics was studied in the defined chemical control regime. The reaction order with respect to n-butanol (one) and the activation energy were determined.