In the steam-iron process, relatively pure hydrogen can be produced from pyrolysis oil in a redox cycle with iron oxides. Experiments in a fluidized bed showed that the hydrogen production from pyrolysis oil increases with increasing temperature during reduction. The experimental hydrogen production at nearly 1000 degrees C with noncatalytic (blast furnace) and catalytic (ammonia synthesis) iron oxide was found to be 1.39 and 1.82 Nm(3) of H-2/kg of dry oil, respectively. However, this high hydrogen production Could be achieved only when it low relative conversion (alpha) of the iron oxide in the reduction was maintained (about 7%). It was found in all experiments that the reduction rate decreased strongly with increasing relative conversion of the iron oxide [at 800 degrees C, the relative conversion rate (d alpha/dt) decreased from 3.0 x 10(-4) s(-1) at alpha = 0.6% to 8.8 x 10(-6) s(-1) at alpha = 10.0%]. The gasification of pyrolysis oil over an iron oxide bed results in an increased carbon-to-gas conversion compared to gasification over a sand bed. Near-complete gasification of oil is achieved when temperatures above 900 degrees C are applied in a fluidized-bed setup containing iron oxide. A lumped reaction path scheme is proposed for char formation in pyrolysis oil gasification.