The study explores the effect of mole fraction of ethanol in feed on the performance and energy efficiency of a distillation column used for ethanol-water separation by simulation using DWSIM. Key parameters, including the molar flow rates of distillate and bottom products, condenser and reboiler duties, minimum reflux ratio, and tray requirements, were analysed by maintaining the following parameters constant: 100 kmol/h of feed, Non-Randon Two-Liquid (NRTL) thermodynamic model, mole fraction of ethanol in distillate is 0.9 and in bottom is 0.05, reflux ratio of 2.5, partial condenser and pressure and vapour fraction flash specification. As the feed ethanol mole fraction increases from 0.4 to 0.6, the distillate flow rate rises, while the bottom flow rate decreases, demonstrating enhanced ethanol recovery. However, energy requirements exhibit a non-linear trend, peaking near a mole fraction of 0.5 due to azeotropic tendency. The minimum reflux ratio progressively increases with ethanol content in feed, highlighting the energy trade-off necessary for achieving desired separation. Additionally, the number of minimum trays, feed tray position, and actual number of trays all increase with feed ethanol concentration, reflecting the rising separation difficulty. These findings provide valuable insights into optimizing column design and operation for maximum efficiency and product quality while minimizing energy consumption.