The generation of synthesis gas by catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) from renewable liquid fuels for solid oxide fuel cell applications has been the target of several studies. Typically, noble metals or nickel are employed as the active catalyst for fuel reforming, but they present drawbacks in terms of high cost and deactivation due to carbon deposition, respectively. Thermodynamically, the CPO of the model biodiesel compound, methyl oleate (C19H36O2), was found to be favorable at temperatures > 800 degrees C. Under these conditions, we report a high catalytic activity of molybdenum dioxide (MoO2) toward the reformation of methyl oleate into synthesis gas, while overcoming the disadvantages of coking and methane formation. For an O-2/C molar ratio between 0.60 and 0.70 and a WHSV up to 10 h(-1), the CPO reaction shows a fuel carbon conversion above 80%, relatively good H-2 and CO yields, and the catalyst exhibits high redox stability. It is proposed that the lattice oxygen present in the oxide promotes the CPO reaction via the Mars-van Krevelen mechanism. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.