A major food manufacturing company has signed on to distribute a soybean-based oil used in electric transformers. Cargill spokesman Bill Brady says the oil was developed in Iowa.The “Biotrans” transformer oil was developed by Glenn Cannon of the Waverly Light and Power Company with help from researchers at the University of Northern Iowa. Brady says about 40-million gallons of the fluid is used in the transformers.They believe the product can be used in both industrial and residential transformers. Brady says the soybean-based oil is “environmentally friendly.”That’s one of the advantages they’re touting with the product, as it costs a little more than the oil used now, but would cost less to clean up if there’s an accident. Brady says the oil would help increase demand for soybeans.He says the 40-million gallons of oil is not a lot, but is one piece that will add up to more uses for the soybeans. Brady says they’re marketing the oil across the U-S.
