Large-scale Tech Advancements

[OsoMoore]

I've nearly got full laser powers researched, and eventually I'll have the whole tech tree explored.  What if there were some way to advance your entire tech level slowly but nearly indefinitely.

For example, spend x-thousand resources to reduce power consumption of all pieces by 1%, or damage output, or thrust, etc.  Then a player could have a progression that would eventually allow them to create fundamentally different ships.  Someone who focused entirely on one or another of these trees would have something unique to show off.