An Overview of the Usage of Ethanol as a Fuel for Spark Ignition Engines

The idea of using ethanol in spark ignition engines (SI) is not new, but has returned to the technical agenda in recent years. Usage of ethanol as a transport fuel is growing and interest in using ethanol-gasoline blends is high. Various characteristics of ethanol make it suitable for usage as an automotive fuel, although there are some challenges. These issues are briefly described in this paper. Moreover, this paper reviews some of the most important points and comments on the past, present and future of ethanol as a fuel for spark ignition engines. In the context of the past this paper briefly describes the history of usage of ethanol in the automotive industry. In the present context, an ethanol SWOT matrix reveals its current and potential position on the fuel market. The possible future vision of ethanol as an engine fuel is considered in the context of opportunities for and threats to ethanol, together with the possible short and long-term tendencies.