This study examined the possibility of hydrogen production using a solution plasma process (SPP). The reactants were lignin model compounds and actual lignin oil. The highest amount of hydrogen was generated in SPP using m-cresol. The total amount of gas generated by the plasma reaction for 20 min using 23 g of m-cresol was 1.69 L, which comprised of 65.51% hydrogen and 29.85% CO. Furthermore, a maximum of 1.91 L of hydrogen was generated by a reaction between pyrolysis oil and ethanol with a weight ratio of 1:1. The presence of carbon black, a reaction byproduct, was measured by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, which revealed molybdenum trioxide peaks. It was confirmed that molybdenum used as an electrode was doped on carbon. (C) 2019 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.