Riding Out the Gas Crunch: Future-Proofing Your Business with Dual Fuel Burners

A bit of a shake-up is brewing in New Zealand’s energy landscape, and if you’re running an industrial or commercial operation that relies on gas, you’ll want to sit up and take notice. Warnings from the Gas Industry Company paint a clear picture: dwindling gas supplies are set to bite this year, potentially leading to both shortages and a continued climb in gas prices. For businesses, particularly those powering crucial processes in the primary and food production sectors, this isn’t just a minor inconvenience – it’s a significant challenge to navigate.
Daily Gas Production is Reducing

Daily Gas Production by Major Fields – Gas Industry Company (https://www.gasindustry.co.nz/data/gas-production-and-consumption/)
We’ve already seen the knock-on effects, with increased coal use for electricity generation, hardly a step in the right direction for our emissions goals. The Gas Industry Company’s recent reports underscore the issue, highlighting a clear downward trend in gas production levels. Adding to the uncertainty is the ban on new offshore oil and gas exploration, coupled with policy wobbles that can make long-term energy investment a tricky proposition. While other energy sources like biomass and electricity have their place, they aren’t always a straightforward or complete substitute for the reliable heat and power that gas provides.
So, what’s a business to do when faced with this “gas crunch”? At Tubman Heating, we suggest being prepared and having options. That’s where the smart move to dual fuel burners comes into play. Think of it as having a Plan B – a way to keep your operations running smoothly regardless of gas supply hiccups or price spikes.
Dual fuel burners are exactly what they sound like: burners that can operate using either gas or another fuel source, typically diesel. This gives your business the ultimate flexibility. When gas prices are favourable and supply is steady, you can run on gas. But if things get tight, or prices jump, you can seamlessly switch to your alternative fuel, ensuring business continuity and protecting your bottom line from volatile energy markets.
At Tubman Heating, we’re proud to offer a range of high-quality dual fuel burners from leading European manufacturers. Our CIB Unigas dual fuel burners are known for their reliability and efficiency.

E205A
- 320 – 2 050 kW
- 230/400V 3N AC
- Perfectly combine the mechanical devices and systems typical of gas burners with the ones of light oil burners
- Two flues burn separately
- Equipped with an independent electric motor for the activation of the oil pump
- High performance combustion head designed to achieve the maximum efficiency when they work on natural gas
- Combustion head is also equipped with a by-passing nozzle which, using a pressure regulator, can reach a turndown ratio 1:3
- Ordered to required specifications
Click here to download a data sheet from the CIB Unigas website

HR91A
- 480 – 2 670 kW
- 230V 1N AC 50 Hz
- 400V 3 AC 50 Hz
- Medium to large burner
- Progressive and modulating operations available
- Separate circuit for the oil pump motor, means the oil pump motor does not run when the burner is working on natural gas
- High performance combustion head designed to achieve the max efficiency when working on natural gas
- Combustion head is also equipped with a by-passing nozzle which, using a pressure regulator, can reach a turndown ratio 1:3.
- Ordered to required specifications
Click here to download a data sheet from the CIB Unigas website
Similarly, our Baltur Burner dual fuel burners offer robust performance and a range of models to suit different industrial and commercial needs.

COMIST
- Two stage mixed gas / light oil burners
- Mechanical pulverization
COMIST 20 80 – 230 kW
COMIST 250 1127 – 3380 kW
COMIST 300 1304 – 3878 kW
Duel Fuel Burner Case Study:
We recently completed a key installation at a hospital, fitting a new 9MW dual-fuel burner. This upgrade significantly boosts the hospital’s energy resilience, allowing it to operate on both natural gas and diesel. This dual-fuel capability provides essential flexibility and redundancy, ensuring continuous operation for their critical infrastructure, even if one fuel supply is disrupted. During commissioning, we encountered a technical challenge where the hospital’s actual steam demand was lower than anticipated, affecting the pressure regulating valve. Thanks to the swift response and collaborative efforts of the Tubman Heating projects and service teams, along with our contractors, we promptly resolved this by installing a more suitable pneumatic control valve. This ensured the system performed reliably within specified parameters, and the commissioning process was completed right on schedule.





Keen to explore how a dual fuel burner can benefit your business? Get in touch with the team at Tubman Heating today for personalised advice and solutions. We’re here to help you navigate the changing energy landscape with confidence.
Email: sales@tubman.co.nz
Call: 04 939 4334