Cost efficient and environmental friendly carbon derived glycerol (CG) was prepared by insitu carbonication and sulfonation process. The synthesized CG was sulfonated with H2SO4 for 10 h denoted as SCG-(10) catalyst. The physico-chemical properties of the prepared catalyst were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), temperature programmed desorption-ammonia (TPD-NH3), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area, variable pressure scanning electron microscope (VPSEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and CHNSO elemental analysis. The specific surface area and total acidity were increased significantly after being sulfonated at different time of reflux; whereas, the SCG-(10) catalyst showed the highest total amount of acidity (35117.14 μmol/g). Esterification of palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) was successfully obtained high fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) with yield 97.8% at optimum parameter of 18:1 methanol to PFAD molar ratio, 5 wt% catalyst loading and 90 °C reaction temperature within 1 h. The catalyst was successfully reused for 7 cycles and it was found that the catalytic activity maintained with >96% of FAME yield for the first three run. The regenerated SCG-(10) catalyst has been used for another four consecutive of reusability run indicates the viability of utilizing carbon catalyst derived glycerol for biodiesel production.