This paper manufactured an original middle-temperature solar receiver/reactor prototype, positioned along the focal line of one-axis parabolic trough concentrator representing the development of a new kind of solar thermochemical technology. A 5 kW prototype solar reactor at around 200-300 degrees C, which is combined with a linear receiver was originally manufactured. A basic principle of the design of the middle-temperature solar reactor is identified and described. A representative experiment of solar-driven methanol decomposition was carried out. Experimental tests were conducted from 200 degrees C to 300 degrees C under mean solar flux of 300-800 W/m(2) and at a given methanol feeding rate of 2.1 L/h. The conversion of methanol decomposition yielded up to 50-95%, and the efficiency of solar thermal energy conversion to chemical energy reached 30-60%. The experimental results obtained here prove that the novel solar receiver/reactor prototype introduced in this paper can provide a promising approach to effectively utilize middle-temperature solar thermal energy by means of solar thermochemical processes.