I have nothing against any meta search engine, they are very useful, and I use them primarily as well.
However, they are not a true alternative, because they depend on third-party services. The same as Invidious is a very useful, but also not an alternative to YouTube itself, just a different user interface.
Nothing gets burned or otherwise destroyed when receiving EM radiation via a dish and converted it into electricity via a receiver.
Sure, the amplification stage of the process likely works only one way, and should be replaced in order to send something.
The one way process of burning oil to generate heat seems much more primitive than the energy conversion offered by a diode, TBH.
You can push or tow an electric car and charge their batteries. Because electric motors are also generators.
Even with your simplistic fossil fuel car in your example the alternator within can also be used as a motor.