<p>The growing demand for renewable energy has established bioethanol as a promising alternative to gasoline. In Mexico, over 7.2 million metric tonnes of sorghum residues are generated annually, representing a potential feedstock. However, the economic viability of bioethanol production remains challenging, highlighting the need for innovative approaches, such as process intensification and product diversification. This study proposes two intensified purification schemes for the co-production of bioethanol and lactic acid, leveraging thermally coupled distillation columns to optimize energy efficiency and minimize environmental impact. Process simulations were carried out in Aspen Plus, while a Differential Evolution with Taboo List (DETL) algorithm was employed to minimize the Total Annual Cost (TAC). Environmental impacts were subsequently assessed using the Eco-Indicator 99 (EI99) methodology. Compared to standalone production, both the Conventional Sequence (CS) and the Thermally Coupled Configuration Scheme (TCCS) achieve substantial cost and energy reductions. The differences between CS and TCCS are marginal at this screening level, suggesting that their relative preference may depend on site-specific or regulatory conditions. These findings underscore the potential of intensified purification and co-production strategies to improve biorefinery performance, supporting the valorization of agricultural residues and providing a first benchmark for sorghum-based co-production systems.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>