Systems and methods for generating electricity from low grade heat. The system and method may be a closed loop. When a liquid mixture of salt, water, and an ion-stripping liquid is heated using the low grade heat, water dissolves more readily into the ISL, due to the increased solubility of the water in the ISL, at the increased temperature. The salt remains in a high-salinity aqueous phase that separates from the ISL phase. Upon cooling of the ISL phase, a nearly pure water phase can be separated therefrom. This low salinity water phase and the high salinity water phase can be fed to any of various processes for generating electricity from a salinity gradient, such as pressure retarded osmosis or reverse electro-dialysis. Low and high salinity water exiting the power generating portion of the process can be recycled, to reform the original liquid stream, upon recombination with the ISL.