Techno-Economic and CO2 Net Assessment of Dimethyl Carbonate Production from Biomass-Derived Methanol

The increasing concern over greenhouse gas emissions, particularly CO2, has emphasized the urgency for practical solutions to mitigate the environmental impacts of climate change. This study assessed the technical, economic, and environmental feasibility of producing dimethyl carbonate (DMC) through an integrated route using methanol derived from biomass gasification in sugarcane-based industries. Unlike previous studies that analyzed isolated aspects of DMC production, this research was conducted through process modeling and simulation in Aspen Plus® V12.1, evaluating key performance indicators such as conversion rates, product purity, capital and operating expenses, and CO2 emissions. A DMC conversion rate of 78.06% and a purity level of 96.80% were achieved. However, the integration of methanol production increased both CAPEX and OPEX, leading to a net present value (NPV) of R$ 36.7 million over 10 years, lower than alternative routes using commercially available methanol. Additionally, the process resulted in a net CO2 emission of 3.41 kg CO2 per kg of DMC, exceeding conventional methods. These findings suggest that under the evaluated conditions, process integration did not offer economic advantages, despite many environmental advantages over commercially available methanol.