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You should check out the planet money podcast on this topic. Turns out a big part of (consumer?) solar getting cheaper was the invention of a new tool, some kin

• Obi_Juan_Kenobi 9y ago
  > GOLDSTEIN: But again, just in the past few years, installation has actually gotten a lot cheaper. As a way it's gotten cheaper is it's gotten faster. You don't have to pay those guys to be out at your house for as long. And when I was out at John's, I actually saw some of the reasons it has gotten faster. > RYAN BARNETT: This is the Zep Tool. This is the end-all be-all of tools. > GOLDSTEIN: The Zep Tool? Led Zep Tool? > BARNETT: Yeah, exactly. (Laughter). One tool to rule them all. Yep. > GOLDSTEIN: That's a guy named Ryan Barnett (ph). > What's a Zep Tool? I mean, it's a wrench. It's basically a wrench. It's got these little marks on it or whatever, but the key thing is it's part of this whole installation system they use. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtiKyp12ej0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtiKyp12ej0 I think it's much more accurate to call it an installation platform/system, as the wrench is fairly incidental. The hardware is the innovation. Pretty cool overall.