The program does not sort homes into categories. It asks about the equipment and the install. That makes the answers for holiday homes, new builds and special-zone homes a matter of applying the same tests.
Holiday or second homes
A holiday home is a separate premises. If it has solar (or you are installing solar at the same time) and you fit an eligible battery, the install can qualify. The one-battery-per-premises rule is applied property by property, so a battery at your main home does not use up your holiday home. See second battery on the same property.
Practical points: an unoccupied property may have limited internet, and a VPP-capable battery generally needs connectivity to enrol. Confirm the battery’s backup mode and remote monitoring plan with the installer.
New builds
A new home is a good time to add a battery. Solar and battery installed together create two sets of certificates; see solar and battery bundles. The practical issue is timing. A battery cannot be commissioned until the home is connected and the network has approved the system, so the commissioning date, which sets the factor, may be later than the quote date. The factor is 6.8 at the time of writing and steps to 5.7 on 1 January 2027.
Heritage-listed homes
Heritage status does not remove eligibility. What it can affect is where a battery or inverter is mounted and whether a visible installation needs council or heritage approval. The result is a siting and approvals task, not an STC question.
Bushfire-zone homes
Being in a bushfire-prone area does not make a battery ineligible either. Siting does matter. AS/NZS 5139 sets clearances and locations for battery systems, and bushfire attack level requirements may constrain wall-mounted installs. Councils and fire authorities can add requirements. See AS/NZS 5139.
What this means for installers
Document the premises address and the solar system at each property, use the correct address on the assignment form, and keep site photos that show the actual location. For unusual sites, record the approvals obtained. The installer checklist and the battery submission guide cover the evidence.
What this means for you
Holidaymakers who let the property short-term should also tell their insurer and the network about the battery, since a battery is a change to the electrical installation and many policies ask. That is separate from the STC claim but it is a common loose end.
If you own more than one property, work out which one benefits most from the discount, since the factor is falling every six months. Run each through the battery STC calculator. For the program overview, see the battery STCs pillar, and installers can see /start-trading/ for settlement.