Xu et al. (2026) Global warming enhances salinity gradient energy potential through hydroclimatic change

Identification

• Journal: Communications Earth & Environment
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-09-01
• Authors: Zhenbang Xu, Shujun Li, Wenju Cai, Chuan-Yang Wang, Bolan Gan, Ying Zhang
• DOI: 10.1038/s43247-026-04010-z

Research Groups

• Key Laboratory of Physical Oceanography/Frontier Science Centre for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth system, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China.
• Academy of Future Ocean, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China.
• Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, China.
• State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi’an, China.
• State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science & College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
• College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China.
• Institute of Marine Development and School of Management, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China.

Short Summary

This study investigates the impact of global warming on salinity gradient energy (SGE) potential. Using 19 climate models from CMIP6, the authors find that SGE generally increases under global warming, with regional heterogeneity emerging.

Objective

• To quantify how global warming may alter the global theoretical SGE resource and identify key climatic drivers of its projected changes.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Global and regional scales.
• Temporal Scale: Historical period (1929–2014) and future SSP scenarios (2015–2100).

Methodology and Data

• Models used: CMIP6 models, including 19 models that provide the variables required to calculate theoretical SGE.
• Data sources: Observation-based estimate of global theoretical SGE derived from observational datasets of river discharge, SST, and SSS.

Main Results

• The global theoretical SGE resource generally increases under global warming, with regional heterogeneity emerging.
• Enhanced river discharge associated with changes in precipitation minus evapotranspiration is the dominant contributor to future SGE changes.
• Rising mixed-water temperature provides an additional contribution, while changes in ocean–river salinity contrasts partly offset these gains.

Contributions

• This study provides a basis for evaluating the longer-term potential of SGE within future renewable energy portfolios and guiding consideration of technological development and practical extraction under climate change.
• The results highlight the importance of accounting for seasonal hydrological changes when assessing future SGE resources.

Funding

• Not specified in the text.

Citation

@article{Xu2026Global,
  author = {Xu, Zhenbang and Li, Shujun and Cai, Wenju and Wang, Chuan-Yang and Gan, Bolan and Zhang, Ying},
  title = {Global warming enhances salinity gradient energy potential through hydroclimatic change},
  journal = {Communications Earth & Environment},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1038/s43247-026-04010-z},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-04010-z}
}