TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Components: The OCC has a molecular oxygen solubility of greater than 0.003 (preferably 0.006) mol oxygen/mol. The OCC is a liquid organofluorine, such as fluoroalkanes, fluoroalkenes, fluorooxolanes, fluoroamines, fluoroethers and/or liquid siloxanes, preferably perfluoro-1-isopropoxy-hexane, perfluoro-1,4-diisopropoxy-butane, perfluorotributylamine, perfluorobutylperfluorotetrahydrofuran, bis(perfluorohexyl)ethane, perfluorodecalin, perfluorooctyl bromide and/or perfluorodichlorooctane. The cell is open to ambient air, the cathode interfaces with the ambient air, and the ambient air serves as a source of molecular oxygen electro-reduced at the cathode during cell discharge. The cathode comprises: a first porous body layer (124) comprising the OCC in its pores; and a second porous body layer (122) that serves as an electron transfer medium for electro-reducing molecular oxygen, where the second porous body layer comprises a liquid electrolyte conductive to the active metal ions, the relative position of the first and second porous body layers is such that the first layer is closer to the ambient air and the second layer is closer to the active metal anode, and further the first and second layers are in sufficient pore communication to allow for the inter-diffusion of molecular oxygen between the layers. The OCC is hydrophobic and provides a two way barrier against ingress of moisture from entering the cell and egress of the second layer liquid electrolyte from evaporating out of the cell. The cell is fully sealed from the ambient environment and, prior to sealing, the OCC is enriched with molecular oxygen that, dissolved in the OCC, serves as the major source of cathode capacity. The cell is an active metal oxygen flow battery, where the flow battery further comprises a storage container comprising the liquid OCC enriched with molecular oxygen and a pump that delivers the OCC to the cathode. The cell is further configured to circulate the OCC, where the circulation provides molecular oxygen to the cathode for electro-reduction during cell discharge and removes depleted OCC. The cell is configured for remote replenishment of oxygen-depleted OCC from the cathode by exposure to an environment comprising molecular oxygen, where the replenishing environment does not contain carbon dioxide. The active metal anode is an alkali metal anode. The alkali metal anode is lithium. The alkali metal anode is a protected alkali metal anode. The protected alkali metal anode is a protected lithium electrode. The cell further comprises: a liquid electrolyte conductive to the active metal ion and in contact with the active metal anode, where the liquid electrolyte is aqueous; or a non-aqueous liquid conductive to the active metal ion and in contact with the active metal anode. Preferred Method: The OCC is caused to flow to the cathode, through pumping action, in order to provide molecular oxygen to the cathode during cell discharge.