Omaha, NB-based independent energy provider Tenaska said Thursday it is launching a marketing/development company, Tenaska NG Fuels LLC (TNG Fuels), to provide natural gas for the transportation and industrial sectors, both compressed natural (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Doug Clark, chairman of Natural Gas Vehicles for America (NGVAmerica), has agreed to lead commercial activities at the new Tenaska unit.

TNG Fuels intends to leverage Tenaska’s energy marketing expertise and its 26 years of project development and commercial financing experience to help utilities and customers in the trucking, mining, railroad, marine vessel and other transportation industries gain cost savings and environmental advantages with the use of CNG or LNG.

Tenaska’s announcement comes within two weeks of General Electric affiliates, Clean Energy Fuels Corp. and Ferus Natural Gas Fuels forming a consortium to develop LNG production facilities around the nation to serve the same industrial sectors that Tenaska will be going after (see Daily GPI, Sept. 20).

Tenaska CEO Jerry Crouse said the company’s customers are looking to Tenaska for the new services. “What the industry needs and what we have to offer are a great match.” What that is includes gas pipeline and downstream logistics expertise, energy project siting/development experience and customer service commitment, Crouse said.

Clark, a former president of Omaha-based Metropolitan Utilities District (MUD), cited the “proliferation of shale gas production” as being a main driver in the natural gas transportation fuel sector. “MUD saw this and set out to be the leading provider of natural gas fuels to the transportation industry in the Midwest,” Clark said.