Louise Bernard
Senior Data Scientist, Centre for Net Zero
I design and evaluate large-scale randomised field trials in the energy sector — measuring how households and firms respond to real price signals, low-carbon technologies, and demand-side flexibility programmes.
I am a Senior Data Scientist at the Centre for Net Zero, an autonomous research institute founded by Octopus Energy and based in London. My work centres on the design and analysis of randomised and quasi-experimental trials run in partnership with Octopus Energy teams, who handle implementation. Recent trials cover time-of-use tariffs, EV charging dynamic pricing, heat pumps, and domestic demand flexibility — including the evaluation of one of the largest domestic flexibility programmes to date, covering 2.6 million customers.
I sit on the UK Cabinet Office Evaluation & Trial Advice Panel (ETAP), providing technical advice on evaluation methods to government departments, and I engage regularly with NESO, Ofgem, and DESNZ on demand-side flexibility evidence.
I taught Applied GIS and Spatial Econometrics at the London School of Economics, and Applied Econometrics at City, University of London. Previously I was a consultant at the World Bank's Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, awarded the Sustainable Development Fellowship, working on urbanisation and flood risk.
I hold a PhD in Urban Economics, an MSc in Economics & Real Estate Finance, and a Master in Public Administration — all from the LSE — and a BA in Political Science from Sciences Po Paris.