The scientists are working to improve the ability of a commonly used white powder to absorb sunlight.

Dr Leigh Sheppard from the Centre for Materials Research in Energy Conservation says titanium dioxide could become a key part of a no-emission technology.

"We're promising to produce a fuel, hydrogen fuel which is very clean," Dr Sheppard said.

"When you combust it, it produces water, it doesn't produce carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas.

"There's a lot of promise, we just need sunlight and salt water, and we have a sustainable clean fuel."

Dr Shepherd says it is hard to get commercial investment to match the Federal Government's low emission technology funding when the technology is a decade away, but it could become available sooner if there was more research money.