Credit: (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) File photo New Jersey officials are looking to fix one of the biggest problems impeding the growth of its solar sector: how to speed up connecting new solar systems with the electric grid operated by local utilities. With the increased reliance on solar energy in the state, the number of applications from developers seeking approval to connect to distribution systems is increasing. Some utilities are not prepared to handle the increased volume of applications, and more projects are coming up against proposed interconnections on parts of the system already near their capacity. It is an issue that threatens to jeopardize the Murphy administration’s clean-energy goals, which project a tenfold increase in the amount of solar energy providing electricity to residents and businesses by 2050. The connection problem also impacts the administration’s goal to provide offshore wind power to roughly 23% of the state’s electricity.