When I first saw this, the concept of "rejected energy" from the pink boxes seemed to need some explanation. From the outside view, nothing is "wasted"--there's just the cost and benefit. You compare alternate sources and alternate uses this way. Losses don't really mean anything unless they are comparative, and the only thing that matters is the ultimate value of the work, not what you would get if you ran a science experiment to figure out the joules.
Even the losses in electrical transmission don't really mean anything unless compared to an alternative, which will have its own losses, and which can't really be compared kWh but instead relative cost.
Even the losses in electrical transmission don't really mean anything unless compared to an alternative, which will have its own losses, and which can't really be compared kWh but instead relative cost.
Someone can correct me if I'm off-base.