# Technoeconomic Analysis of a Novel Microwave Process to Produce Ethylene from Methane

## TL;DR

A new microwave process for producing ethylene from methane is found to be economically competitive and more energy-efficient than traditional methods.

## Contribution

The study introduces and evaluates an industrial-scale microwave process for ethylene production, demonstrating its economic and environmental advantages.

## Key findings

- The microwave process has a lower levelized cost of ethylene (USD 0.51/kg) compared to conventional methods (USD 0.56/kg).
- The process consumes mostly electricity, supporting the electrification of chemical manufacturing.
- The study confirms the economic feasibility of microwave reactors and modular plant configurations.

## Abstract

Ethylene is a critical
feedstock in industrial processes, serving
as a raw material in the petrochemical industry to produce plastics
and commodity chemicals. Conventional ethylene production routes are
energy-intensive and contribute substantially to the carbon footprint
of chemical manufacturing. In this study, an industrial-scale novel
microwave process was simulated using ASPEN Plus to assess its economic
viability. Technoeconomic analysis confirmed the economic competitiveness
of the novel microwave process, with a levelized cost of ethylene
of USD 0.51/kg compared to USD 0.56/kg for the conventional base case.
Key economic drivers of the process were identified, and sensitivity
analyses were conducted to evaluate their impact on project economics.
Furthermore, 87.7% of the total utility consumption in the novel microwave
process is electricity, highlighting its potential to contribute to
the electrification of the chemical industry. The findings of this
study confirm the economic feasibility of both industrial-scale microwave
reactors and modular plant configurations for the production of ethylene
from methane, offering a promising alternative to conventional processes.