Chiara Lo Prete is an energy economist who studies issues involved in the design and regulation of electricity markets.

Chiara earned a BA in economics from Luiss University and an MA in energy economics from the Scuola Mattei. While working for the energy company Eni, she analyzed the impacts of energy and environmental policies on the electric power and automotive sectors in Europe and the United States. Chiara received a PhD in environmental engineering from Johns Hopkins University in 2012.

Her doctoral research addressed topics in energy and environmental economics, applied econometrics and empirical industrial organization. Chiara is interested in the application of economic and econometric models to issues that are relevant in wholesale electricity markets, including market power and price dynamics. Another branch of her work uses economic-engineering models for gaining insights into the economic, environmental and reliability impacts of microgrids on electricity networks.

As an Environmental Fellow, Chiara worked with William Hogan of the Harvard Kennedy School on the manipulation of wholesale electricity markets through virtual bidding.

Faculty Host

William Hogan, Harvard Kennedy School