US regulators vote to speed up approvals for renewable energy projects

U.S. regulators voted on proposals to accelerate the connection of new energy projects to the grid.
Long waits for transmission interconnection have impeded efforts to address climate change.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) plans to shift to a "first ready" approach for project approvals, replacing the current "first come, first serve" system.
The average interconnection process currently takes five years, but efforts are being made to reduce this timeline.
The interconnection proposal is part of a broader reform package to hasten the deployment of renewable energy and storage.