The article presents the results of comparative research on the physicochemical characteristics and catalytic activity of copper oxide supported on synthetic SiO₂ and SiO₂ (RH) from rice husk. SiO₂ (RH) is more hydrophobic compared to SiO₂, which leads to the concentration of copper oxide on its surface in the form of a “crust”, which is very important in the synthesis of low-percentage catalysts. According to SEM, XRD, and TPR-H₂, the use of SiO₂ (RH) as a carrier leads to an increase in the dispersion of copper oxide particles, which is the active center of ethanol dehydrogenation.