Utilizing waste lignocellulosic biomass to synthesize biofuel precursors constructs an important way to solve the current energy crisis. In this work, we have prepared a sulfonated acid catalyst from pine needles derived biochar using chlorosulfonic acid for conversion of fructose to levulinic acid and levulinic acid to ethyl levulinate. In the best optimized conditions, sulfonated biochar as a catalyst exhibited excellent catalytic activity for the fructose conversion to levulinic acid and its esterification to ethyl levulinate with yield 33% and 97%. •Biochar (BC) has been prepared from pine needles biomass waste.•Sulfonation of biochar (SBC) results in Brønsted acidic sites.•SBC has been used as catalyst for the conversion of fructose to levulinic acid.•Ethyl levulinate has been synthesized from levulinic acid in 97% yield.