REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is determined to increase its investment and innovation to improve the clean energy source in Asia-Pacific countries.

"The developing countries of Asia receive the least energy compared with other countries," said the ADB's Vice President Bindu Lohani at a press release received here on Wednesday.

Lohani said that more than 600 million people have no access to electricity, and around 1.8 billion people are still using firewood or coal as energy source for cooking and heating their houses.

Energy requirement in Asia will rise from 34 percent of the global primary energy in 2010 to 56 percent in 2035, as recorded by the ADB.

"We can overcome energy shortage through sustainable and low carbon energy," Lohani said.

In addition, the International Energy Agency has estimated that the Asia and Pacific countries are required to invest more than US$200 billion to meet the energy requirements by 2030.

In 2013, ADB had invested US$2.3 billion for clean energy development and committed to continue the investment for at least US$2 billion per year.

The Indonesian government also requires every river channel to have micro-hydro power plants to improve electricity supply in the surrounding areas.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik on Tuesday, June 17, had asked district leaders to use the rivers' potential in creating a sustainable energy source.

"Power plants must exist in villages that are located near the rivers," Minister Jero Wacik said.

Six micro-hydro plants can be built in each river channel, so the local community along the river channels can be benefited.

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