3Ce- and 3La-promoted 10Cu/Al2O3 catalysts were synthesized via a sequential incipient wetness impregnation approach and implemented for ethanol CO2 reforming (ECR) at 948�1023 K and stoichiometric feed ratio. CeO2 and La2O3 promoters reduced CuO crystallite size from 32.4 to 27.4 nm due to diluting impact and enhanced the degree of reduction of CuO � Cu0. Irrespective of reaction temperature, 3La�10Cu/Al2O3 exhibited the highest reactant conversions, H2 and CO yields followed by 3Ce�10Cu/Al2O3 and 10Cu/Al2O3. The greatest C2H5OH and CO2 conversions of 87.6 and 55.1, respectively were observed on 3La�10Cu/Al2O3 at 1023 K whereas for all catalysts, H2/CO ratios varying from 1.46 to 1.91 were preferred as feedstocks for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Activation energy for C2H5OH consumption was also reduced with promoter addition from 53.29 to 47.05 kJ mol�1. The thorough CuO � Cu0 reduction by H2 activation was evident and the Cu0 active phase was resistant to re-oxidation during ECR for all samples. Promoters addition reduced considerably the total carbon deposition from 40.04 to 27.55 and greatly suppressed non-active graphite formation from 26.94 to 4.20 because of their basic character and cycling redox enhancement. © 2019 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC