• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • Flood Recovery Loan
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • TikTok
cropped mountain association logo with copyright.png

Mountain Association

Building a New Economy, Together.

    • Access expertise to grow your business or organization.

      Business Support

    • Start Here
      • Learn About Support
      • Apply to Work with a Consultant
      • Success Stories
    • Resources
      • FAQs
      • Tools & Templates
      • SPARK Nonprofit Collaborative
      • Client Login
    • Expand your impact with our flexible loans.

      Talk to Us About a Loan

    • Start Here
      • Learn About Loans
      • Start the Application Process
      • Success Stories
    • Resources
      • FAQs
      • Flood Recovery Loans
      • CrowdMatch Loans
    • We can help you save money.

      Apply for an Energy Assessment

    • Start Here
      • Learn About Our Energy Program
      • Apply for a Free Energy Savings Assessment
      • Success Stories
    • Resources
      • FAQs
      • Solar Financing & Support
      • Energy Savings Microloan
    • Start something in your community.

      Learn About Training

    • Start Here
      • Training & Ideas
      • 479 Main Street Project
      • Success stories
    • Training
      • Airbnb
      • Business Training
      • Creative Economy Training
    • We can help tell your story.

      Read Our Stories

    • Stories
      • All Stories
      • Business Support
      • Energy
      • Lending
      • Training & Ideas
    • Appalachia’s New Day
      • Press & Media
      • Communications & Policy
    • Building a new economy, together.

      (859) 986-2373

      info@mtassociation.org

      Sign Me Up for News

    • The Big Picture
      • What We Do
      • Just Transition
        • How It’s Working
    • Our Story
      • Our History
      • Team
      • Board of Directors
      • Equity Advisory Council
      • Careers
    • Impact
      • By the Numbers
      • Publications
  • (859) 986-2373

    info@mtassociation.org

     

    Building a new economy, together.
You are here: Home / Business Support / Zac Ebersole – Oil Springs, Kentucky

Business SupportEnergy

Zac Ebersole – Oil Springs, Kentucky

February 1, 2020

Share:

Oil Springs, Kentucky, has been home for Zac Ebersole since he was four years old. Today, Zac is passionate about creating positive change in the area.

A new energy intern leans over to set up a blower door test at an energy efficiency audit for a business in Catlettsburg, Kentucky.
Zac with the blower door equipment at an energy audit for a business in Catlettsburg.

As a part of his work to promote growth in Johnson County, Zac owns and operates his own business called Blue Grace Revolutionize. The business, which Zac started in July 2018, specializes in making old things new again, from refurbishing both small items, like furniture, to whole buildings. His hope in starting the business is that people will see the beauty and utility in repurposing old materials.

While starting his business, Zac began to get more and more interested in energy efficiency as part of rehabilitating homes and buildings.

Zac said energy efficiency is also a topic that has come up at community listening sessions concerning how residents could make the county a better place.

This interest led Zac to MACED’s New Energy internship program.

Funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission, the program offers former coal industry or out-of-work individuals six-month internships to train on assessing building and homes for energy efficiency issues, implementing energy efficiency upgrades, and on renewable energy systems. This work includes coordinating complicated retrofits with contractors, and implementing smaller retrofits, particularly in lighting and duct sealing. It also includes training on communications, sales and marketing, and small business startup skills.

Zac Ebersole smiles for his MACED new energy internship portrait. He studied energy efficiency and solar then started a business in EKY

Zac graduated from the program in January 2020, describing the six months as transformative.

He put his new skills to work in his community immediately, adding energy efficiency and renewable energy to his list of offerings at Blue Grace Revolutionize. He has already helped people with their bills by teaching them money-saving methods that don’t cost a penny, as well as where they can invest a little to pay off big.

“I want people to stay… It means a lot that I can help,” Zac said.

With greater fluctuation in our weather, including extreme temperature swings, coupled with rising utility rates, Eastern Kentuckians are facing electric bills that are higher than ever. Energy efficiency upgrades, renewable energy, and sustainability education help both reduce energy use and stabilize bills in face of these changes. For the past decade, MACED’s energy team has facilitated these energy solutions for Eastern Kentucky communities, helping businesses and organizations become more resilient in the face of climate change. But limited contractor and staff capacity has been a challenge in helping enterprises with retrofits or renewable energy installations.

Zac is now a contractor with MACED for the Johnson County and surrounding area.

Not only has he immersed himself in a whole new field, but he also became a new dad to his daughter who was born in late 2019. MACED was able to provide Zac with parental leave during the internship.

“It was great to have that time, and MACED was extremely supportive.” He expressed that it was a rare find, saying, “It’s hard to find elsewhere, especially for a father.”

Zac also operates another small business called Appalachian Guns. He converted part of his home into a storefront for receiving customers.

In order to contact Zac, please find his website here and his Facebook page here.

MACED’s New Energy Intern program is proud to have graduated seven individuals, with two working at local non-profits to advance energy efficiency and clean energy (Frank Morris, Randall Howard), four starting their own energy services contracting businesses (John Craft, Scott Shoupe, Zac Ebersole, Ben Tatum), and one working for a private company (Megan Stepp). As of March 2020, there are three individuals currently enrolled in the internship program.

Contact

Ariel Fugate

Communications Coordinator

ariel@mtassociation.org

Recent Posts

Rural electric coop kentucky 1

Energy

In Second Decision, Regulators Protect Kentucky Power Customers from Footing Bill for Cryptomining Company

Thank you to our partners at Earth Justice for putting together this release about the second of two cases regarding power discounts for crypto mining ... Read This Post

German drop noodle food truck irvine kentucky

Lending

Drop, Sauce & Roll: German Food Truck Serves Up Unique Noodles

Mark Vogt lives in Irvine, Kentucky, a beautiful town on the banks of the Kentucky River. Like many small-town residents, he was always wishing ... Read This Post

flood eastern kentucky climate change

Announcements

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $1.2 Million to Support Disaster Recovery in Eastern Kentucky

The Economic Development Administration recently announced an award of $1.2 million for disaster recovery in Eastern Kentucky following the 2022 ... Read This Post

Footer

cropped mountain association logo with copyright.png

For more than 40 years, we were known as the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED).

As we enter a new decade and a new look, we have become the Mountain Association. This change underscores our commitment to a new beginning that is more inclusive and welcoming to the people and communities we serve.

Donate Now 1

Get the Newsletter

Sign Up Now

  • Programs
    • Business Support
    • Lending
    • Energy
    • Stories
    • Training & Ideas
  • About
    • What We Do
    • Just Transition
    • Team
    • Our History
    • By the Numbers
  • More
    • Donate
    • Careers
    • Board of Directors
    • Publications
    • Sponsorships

BEREA
(859) 986-2373
433 Chestnut Street
Berea, KY 40403

Meetings by appointment only

info@mtassociation.org

We are happy to make any
accommodation to better serve you.
Inquire via phone or email.
If hearing or speech impaired,
please dial 7-1-1 for relay
services prior to calling.

 

HAZARD
(606) 439-0170
420 Main St
Hazard, KY 41701

PRESTONSBURG
(606) 264-5910
268 E Friend St, Ste 101
Prestonsburg, KY 41653

Copyright © 2023 Mountain Association | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Non-profit Disclosures

made by P&P