International Journal of Electrical Power and Energy Systems, vol.171, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Space-based solar energy storage investments offer some important advantages such as ensuring uninterrupted energy production and increasing energy efficiency. However, these projects include multi-layered uncertainties such as high cost, advanced technology requirement, environmental risks and energy transmission problems. Therefore, determining the most critical factors affecting investment performance in this area is of great importance. In the existing literature, the lack of comprehensive and systematic factor prioritization studies for space-based solar energy storage investments is striking. This deficiency may negatively affect the strategic decision-making processes of investors. The main purpose of this study is to determine the most important indicators affecting the performance of these investments and to evaluate the potential of growth of seven (G7) countries in this area. For this purpose, an innovative fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making model is proposed by integrating the Euclidean-based method, the logarithmic percentage-change driven objective weighting (LOPCOW) method and weighted influence satisfying principle (WISP). In addition, for the first time in this study, fractal fuzzy sets (Koch Snowflake, Cantor Dust and Sierpinski Triangle) are separately modeled and analyzed. This study contributes to the literature by developing an innovative fuzzy decision-making model to identify the most critical factors affecting the performance of space-based solar energy storage investments. Separate modeling and analysis of different fractal structures such as Koch Snowflake, Cantor Dust, Sierpinski Triangle helps to increase the flexibility and handle uncertainty more effectively. The proposed model provides a robust and flexible decision-support framework, enabling policymakers to evaluate high-risk, high-tech investments more effectively. It is concluded that the most critical factors are the effective transmission of energy collected in space to Earth and the use of advanced technologies in the storage process.