In today's economy, the leather industry is one of the most important manufacturing industries in the world. Mismanaging solid waste in tanneries is the most significant challenge of the environment to achieving sustainability in developing countries. Poor solid waste management strategies negatively impact the environment and affect people on health in and around tanneries. For the generation of sustainable renewable energy from solid leather waste, this review has a focus on (a) various solid waste generated and points of generations in the leather industry, (b) emerging thermal treatment (pyrolysis and gasification) of this solid leather waste to convert into valuable products and energy (c) Chrome treatment of the solid leather waste and their maturity in the form of technology readiness level is examined, (d) it offers the extraction of secondary feedstock in the circular economy context which can be used in other industrial processes. The biochar production is about 71 of tanneries sludge is estimated using the pyrolysis process. In the end, the future research gap and outlook to generate energy from solid leather waste is also highlighted. This novel study will be a helpful document to assist scholars, researchers, and stakeholders in working with efficient and sustainable actions and strategies to combat leather solid waste management. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd